292 Dzvellers of the Sea and Shore 



flashing from branch to branch, and polyp to polyp. 

 Nearly all sea pens are marvelous light producers. 



Among the corals of the East Indian seas is to be 

 found the most peculiar, perhaps, of all, the organ-pipe 

 coral. Its structure is very fragile and the cells of the 

 polyps are arranged after the fashion of a pipe organ, 

 from which it takes its name. The red tubular com- 

 partments are separated from one another, but are 

 connected at intervals by horizontal platforms. The 

 polyps contained in the tops of the tubes are green, and 

 save for their color, they resemble miniature daisies 

 when expanded. 



The corals form much of the framework of the 

 globe. The great barrier reef of Australia is over a 

 thousand miles long, and in nearly every part of the 

 world are founci the fossil remains of reefs. One 

 underlies a section of the State of New York and is in 

 a way as interesting as that which now reaches out from 

 Florida in the direction of Yucatan. For in its history 

 is entailed the thrilling story of our continent, the story 

 of an era when our waters were much warmer than they 

 are to-day. 



