Part II.—Stichodactyline and Zoanthee. 167 
Homostichanthus anemone (lillis). 
(Gil exe ti oom Orel eXiTo nos a4 Opole xivesue 22 > Ply xvas ction.) 
Actinia anemone, . . Ellis, 1767, p. 436, pl. 19, figs. 4, 5; Ellis and Solander, 
1786, p. 6, &e. 
Hydra anemone, . . Gmelin, 1788, p. 3869. 
Discosoma anemone, . Duchassaing, 1850, p. 9; Milne Edwards, 1857, p. 257; 
Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1860, p. 38, pl. vi., 
figs. 2, 3; Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1866, p. 122. 
Andres, 1883, p. 493. [non M*Murrich, 1889. ] 
_ The base is flat and usually buried in sand for some distance below the surface 
of the sea-floor; or may be fixed to rocks, gravel, or other foreign bodies. It is 
thin-walled and semi-transparent, the radiating mesenterial attachments showing 
through. In diameter it is slightly larger than the lower part of the column, but 
much less than the upper overhanging region. Particles of sand and gravel may 
adhere, and occasionally remnants of a coarse cuticular membrane. When not 
attached, as in the laboratory, the base is very distensable, and preserved examples 
exhibit radiating and concentric basal foldings. 
The column for its whole length is buried in sand, and is greatly elongated, 
somewhat cylindrical, erect, smooth, distensable, and devoid of verrucee. Distally 
the internal attachment of the different orders of mesenteries is apparent through 
the thin wall; an additional cycle of pairs is in this way seen to commence about 
half-way up the column, and to extend as far as the apex. The distal region is 
strongly folded, and, along with the disc, overhangs the proximal region ; i stu 
this area rests upon the sea-floor, or the whole polyp may be buried so that only 
the crests of the discal folds are visible. Around the apex of the column are small, 
obtuse elevations which may perhaps be regarded as acrorhagi. They are a little 
lighter in colour and correspond with alternate mesenterial spaces. A shallow 
fossa occurs between the circle of acrorhagi and the outermost cycle of tentacles. 
In preserved specimens the column is divided into deep longitudinal and trans- 
verse foldings. When alive the polyps are capable of considerable retraction, 
and, if disturbed, withdraw themselves for some distance below the surface of the 
sea-floor. 
The dise is large, and peripherally is thrown into deep folds, nine to twelve, or 
even more, in number. The central naked area is comparatively small and flat, 
and the peristome but slightly raised. Generally the disc is only partly retracted 
so that its diameter is not larger than that of the column; it can, however, be 
completely withdrawn so as to be wholly hidden. 
The tentacles are short, smooth, slightly capitate, and arranged in numerous 
2B2 
