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THE ACTINIARIA OF SUFFOLK.
THE BY
ACTINIARIA OF SUFFOLK. (Sea-Anemones). DR.
DUDLEY W .
COLLINGS, M . B . ,
F.Z.S.
THE publication of this preliminary account of our Anemones has been withheld from year to year in the hope that either some of our Members would undertake a study of the Sub-order or a recognised authoritv upon it might happen to assist local knowledge by a visit to our shore. Neither having been yet realised, it seems advisable to lay before Members such discoveries as have been effected from time to time, pointing out the improbability of many more species' future presence Coming to light on account of the shifting sandy nature of our sea-bottom. Representatives of this Ccelenteratan group habitually cling to some solid fulcrum, over which they are able to pass at will, and they prefer a greater tide-range than is afforded by the slight and comparatively uncertain margin between our high and low water marks ; nor is the oleaginous surface of London Clay, which forms the nearest approach we have to rocks, at all to their liking. Hence we are reduced to seeking them upon the piles of our few piers, the woodwork of wrecks, and especially upon the concrete of artificial breakwaters. No one here has paid the subject particular attention hitherto ; and we have had to rely upon P. H. Gosse's 1860 History of British Sea-Anemones ; J. E. Taylor's 1880 Half-hours at the Sea-side and 1892 Tourists' Guide to Suffolk (enumerating four kinds at page 15) ; upon the Victoria History of 1911 (where H . C. Sorby instances three kinds at page 90) and T . A. Stephenson's British Sea Anemones (published by the Ray Society in 1928), whose Classification in volume i, is here adopted. Some additions are taken from the Transactions of both Norfolk Naturalists' and Proceedings of our own Suffolk societies. T h e fĂźll British List of thirtynine species is given : those ten italicised are alone known as Suffolcian at present. T h e last four years have produced nothing new. CLASS
C(ELENTERATA.
SUB-ORDER ACTINIARIA TRIBE
L
Family G O N A C T I N I I D / E . Gonactinia prolifera, Sars. TRIBE
2-
SEU S E A - A N E M O N E S
PROTANTHE/E.
NYNANTHE/E.
SUBTRIBE ATHENARIA. Family EDWARDSIDJE. Milne carnea, Gosse (Halcampa microps, Gosse).