. Rare and remarkable animals of Scotland, represented from living subjects: with practical observations on their nature. subsists between the nature of theActinia and the Hydra proper, as also with the Hydra tuba, or Strobilaof the sea. II. Its senses are extremely obtuse, and its instincts scarcely demon-strated. III. It feeds voraciously on almost every animal substance, absorbingsmaller portions into its system, and rejecting the residue of larger por-tions as a ball by the mouth. IV. It enjoys a vigorous reproductive faculty, whereby immoderatewounds and lacerations heal, and lost parts a
. Rare and remarkable animals of Scotland, represented from living subjects: with practical observations on their nature. subsists between the nature of theActinia and the Hydra proper, as also with the Hydra tuba, or Strobilaof the sea. II. Its senses are extremely obtuse, and its instincts scarcely demon-strated. III. It feeds voraciously on almost every animal substance, absorbingsmaller portions into its system, and rejecting the residue of larger por-tions as a ball by the mouth. IV. It enjoys a vigorous reproductive faculty, whereby immoderatewounds and lacerations heal, and lost parts are restored. V. It propagates by two distinct fashions, as seen in different species,between which there is no obvious immediate analogy. (1.) By gemmules generated internally, which appear moving in thetentacula, whither the parent can introduce or transfer them, and fromwhence they can be withdrawn ; and when matured as young, they areproduced by the mouth. (2.) By solid fragments separating from the margin of the base, whichare shapeless at first, and are next developed into perfect animals. i: //. //... v/./. ■■////r • ACTINIA. 239 VI. When in the gemmule or corpuscular state, the offspring isciliated, and endowed with the faculty of rapid motion. In metamorphos-ing to the foetal state the cilia are lost, and as the young Actinia is evolved,its tentacula appear, and it affixes by the base. VII. Certain species of the Actinia may survive during thirty years. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. Plate XLV.—Actinia mesembryanthemum as delineated October 1. 1828, whichstill survives in 1848, after having been about twenty years incaptivity, and is conjectured to be scarcely less than thirty yearsold. Plate XLVI. Fig. 1. Actinia cerasum, adult, conjectured a variety of the Me- sembryanthemum. 2. Ciliated gemmules from the tentacula of the subject, Plate XLV. 3. Monstrous progeny of the same subject. 4. Monstrous specimen taken at Eyemouth. 5. Actinia cerasum taken at
Size: 1545px × 1618px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1848
