. Cuvier's animal kingdom : arranged according to its organization. Animals. 654 POLYPI. the ovaries are attached in the form of tangled threads. The intervals between the leaflets have communications with the tentacula ; and it should seem that water enters by these, per- vades the space between the leaflets, and ultimately escapes by small openings in the circum- ference of the mouth ; at least, some of the Actiniie eject water in this manner. Actinia. These have the body fleshy, often brilliantly colouied ; and the tentacula are arranged in several rows round the mouth, somewhat like the pe
. Cuvier's animal kingdom : arranged according to its organization. Animals. 654 POLYPI. the ovaries are attached in the form of tangled threads. The intervals between the leaflets have communications with the tentacula ; and it should seem that water enters by these, per- vades the space between the leaflets, and ultimately escapes by small openings in the circum- ference of the mouth ; at least, some of the Actiniie eject water in this manner. Actinia. These have the body fleshy, often brilliantly colouied ; and the tentacula are arranged in several rows round the mouth, somewhat like the petals of a double flower, for which reason they have been called " ; They are very sensitive to hght, and expand or close their tentacula according to the fineness of the day. When the tentacula are retracted, the aperture from which they proceed closes like the mouth of a purse, and the animal appears a simple fleshy tubercle, adhering to the rock. Their reproductive powers are scarcely inferior to those of the Hydra. Amputated parts are speedily re-produced ; and the numbers may be multiplied by simply dividing the body ; though their usual mode of reproduction is by bringing forth Fig. 142.—Actinia. jjjg young alivc. Thcse young pass from the ovary into the stomach, make their escape by the mouth of the parent animal, and find localities for themselves. There are several dis- tinctions among them, besides those of size and colour. All the Actiniae are voracious, and miscel- laneous feeders. Small Fishes, Crustacea, and shelled MoUusca are, however, their usual food, and they very speedily extract the contents, and eject the empty crusts and shells. Actinia proper, fix themselves by a broad and flat base. There are very many species, especially in the warmer seas, where some of them are of large size, and equal in brilliancy of colour to any flowers of the garden. The species most common in Europe are, among others, A. senilis, which is three inches w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, bookpublishe, booksubjectanimals
