Mr. J. D. Dana on Zoophytes. 157 



zoophytes from the vegetable to the animal kingdom was gene- 

 rally allowed, the subject was one of warm debate among the 

 philosophers of the day. The animals detected were suspected 

 of being parasites, and pronounced as too inefficient for the pro- 

 duction of trees of stone with their spreading branches ; while 

 the formation of coral was attributed to a kind of vegetable 

 growth by some, and to mineral aggregation or crystallization by 

 others*. The scientific world was divided, and Keaumur in his 

 earlier writings condemned the new views advocated by Peys- 

 sonel as too absurd to be discussed. The investigations of Trem- 

 bley on the Hydra polyps, and of Jussieu on other species obtained 

 on the sea-coast of France, finally convinced Reaumur. Ellis, by 

 a laborious series of investigations, led the way in England ; and 

 though his facts were doubted by some, they were soon received 

 with full credit f- The figures of these authors represented actual 

 flowers as regards form ; but these flowers were shown to have 

 a mouth, and to be capable of eating like animals. They were 

 actually fed, and the process of digestion watched through its 

 different stages. Moreover they were shown to be an essential 

 and constituent part of the zoophyte. The petal-like organs 

 which produce the striking similarity to flowers were observed 

 in some instances to be used as arms in taking their prey and 

 conveying it to the mouth, for which purpose they were conve- 

 niently arranged in a circle around the mouth. The coral blos- 

 soms were consequently declared to be animal in every essential 

 character. Yet Linnseus, after long hesitation, advanced no 

 further than to admit for zoophytes an intermediate nature be- 

 tween plants and animals. Thus more than a century elapsed, 

 after the discussion commenced, before this one simple fact in 

 science became generally believed, that zoophytes are animals, 

 and resemble plants only in sometimes assuming the shapes of 

 vegetation. The point is now no longer doubted. 



In these remarks we exclude sponges from the class of zoo- 

 phytes. Their nature is still a subject of dispute, and some of 



ramifications in some, and such well-contrived organs to serve for vegetation 

 in others, should be the operations of poor, helpless, jelly-like animals, 

 rather than the work of more sure vegetation, which carries on the growth 

 of the tallest and largest trees with the same natural ease and influence as 

 the minutest plant." 



* P. Boccone, ' Museo di Fisica,' &c, Venice, 1694, 1 vol. 4to, with 

 figures. Baker, ' Employment for the Microscope/ pp. 218 — 220. Lon- 

 don, 1753. 



f Ellis published various memoirs in the ' Philosophical Transactions ' 

 from the years 1753 to 1776, and also a work entitled ■ Essay towards a Na- 

 tural History of Corallines,' 4to, with plates, London, 1754. A posthumous 

 work of this author was afterwards published by Solander, under the title, 

 1 The Natural History of many curious and uncommon Zoophytes,' 4to, with 

 63 plates, London, 1756'. 



