Cora{ and the Coral Fisheries. 439 



"This epidermis appears indented by small cavities 

 upon its surface, and we can often perceive radiated pores 

 corresponding to these cavities. In observing the live coral, 

 we see that out of these holes protrude the little flowers 

 that the naturalists Maligny and Peissonnel recognized 

 as the animals, and which they compared to small sea- 

 nettles. 



"Nothing can equal the delicacy and graceful disposition 

 of these little milk-white rosettes, which contrast admirably 

 with the brilliant red of the coral. 



" Their arms, which surround their mouths, are ciliated, 

 or covered with fine fringes, which, ever moving and 

 agitating the water, create a circular current that carries 

 to the centre, and consequently into their mouths, the 

 minute matters that sustain them. 



" The epidermis is composed of a very delicate white 

 tissue, and presents through its whole thickness the long 

 cavities of the polypes. It is traversed by canals, which 

 are very numerous, and establish a solidity between all 

 parts, sprinkled with small calcareous corpuscles, hard, 

 resisting, and all armed with unassailable bundles of points, 

 having a special form. 



" The structure of the animals is otherwise very simple ; 

 they present the appearance of a pocket or of an open 

 purse. The mouth is surrounded with arms, and conducts 

 to the central or penetrating cavity the food, and there we 

 find eight lamillae radiating towards the centre." 



There are various kinds of coral, so-called, to be met 

 with in the shops of shell-dealers and naturalists sold 

 under the name of fan coral, brush coral, brainstones, etc., 

 which serve for ornamenting chimney-pieces, cabinets, 

 museums, drawing-room tables, aquaria, etc. Such, for 

 instance, as the white coral, formerly called Madrepora 



