On the same plate is an illustration (fig. 7) of one of the most abundant and most interesting of our anemones. It is commonly known as the Opelet, and its scientific name is Anthea cereus. Almost everyone who has done a little collecting on the rocky shores of the south-west of England, or on the shores of Scotland or Ireland, must have seen this species, easily distinguished by its long, slender, smooth tentacles, all of about equal length, and presenting a waxy appearance. These appendages are usually green and tipped with pink, but sometimes pale yellow or red, and are of such a length that they cover a circle of five or six inches.
This species is decidedly of social disposition, for a number may generally be seen in a cluster, crowded closely together; and when we see them, as we often do, occupying a little tide pool that contains scarcely sufficient water to enable them to give free play to their tentacles, and exposed for hours to the full blaze of the summer sun, we naturally form the opinion that they ought to require no special care in the indoor aquarium. And this is actually the case, for they thrive well with but little trouble.
Perhaps the chief interest attached to this anemone is the deadly nature of its grip. The numerous long tentacles have considerable clinging power throughout their length, and their paralysing power is very considerable compared with that of many other species of the same size. Even the human skin is more or less affected by the irritating influence of this species, a sensation approaching to a sting being sometimes produced, and the skin showing visible signs of the injury done. The grip, too, is so tenacious that tentacles are sometimes torn off when the hand is quickly withdrawn from their hold.
Our next example is the Red-specked Pimplet (Bunodes Ballii), shown in fig. 5 of [Plate III.], which has received its popular name on account of the numerous longitudinal rows of red-specked warts that run down its short yellow column, and other red spots on the column itself, between the rows. Its tentacles are usually pale yellow or white, but sometimes grey or greenish, and often tinged with pink.
Fig. 99.—Bunodes thallia, West Coast
This anemone is common on some parts of the coasts of Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, as well as on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, and may be found in secluded crevices of the rocks, or under the large stones that are scattered on the beach.
Plate III