3$ FOISIL ALCYONIA. 



regularity, and anastomosing together by their ramiflca- 

 tions, by which they form irregular meshes of various fi- 

 gures and quite empty. By this contexture a spongy mass 

 is formed, which is covered by a thin pellicle, constituted 

 in the same manner, excepting that the texture is more 

 close and compact, and extended into a membrane-like sub- 

 stance, which may be detached and easily raised from the 

 body, and which, whpn examined by a lens, appears to 

 be a mass of fine fibres forming very small meshes, similar 

 to the large oqes of which the body is composed. The foot 

 stalk, which spreads but and is a species of basement by 

 which the fig js attached to the body on which it grows, 

 does not seem to differ from the general substance in its 

 The sea fig a conformation. Hence M. Guettard concludes the sea-fig to 

 *P 01 g e « i^ merely a sponge, differing from other sponges only in 



form, and possessing like them the property of imbibing 

 water and losing it by compression. 

 t^eiThfa aTd 0n com P» rm § tne structure of the searfigs with that of 

 the fossil. these fossils, M. Guettard points out differences which are 

 undoubtedly very essential. In the pedicles of the fossils, 

 he observes that circular points may be seen, which will be 

 found to be continued into the spherical part of these bo- 

 dies ; so that by different transverse sections they may be 

 traced, passing -on like so many yeffels, from the pedicle 

 into the substance, and even on to the surface of the fossil : 

 whereas, in the sea-fig, the fibres have no such regularity 

 of disposition, nor are they thus continued like tubes fron* 

 the pedicle into the subftance of the fig. 

 Fungitw, or fyl. Guettard next describes the other kind of fossil, 

 tiifiedmufh- wn ^ cn belongs to the class of fungites, and which, like 

 rooms. the ficoid fossils just treated of, are open at their superior 



and wider part, and in general possess somewhat of a coni- 

 cal form : and from their varying in length, width, and size, 

 frequently bear a resemblance to cups, glasses, funnels, cones, 

 &c, whilst others are longer, cylindrical, and even fusiform. 

 This variety of figure is frequently dependant on the cir- 

 cumstances of the fractures which they have suffered ; these 

 fossils, like the former, being rarely found in a perfect 

 state. M. Guettard appears to have been entirely foiled in 

 the attempt to discover «ny recent zoophyte, which might 

 be consi&ered as bearing any analogy with these fossils. 



He 



