190 ZOOPHYTES. 



this treatise ; but ^to do justice to the subject, infinitely surpasses the 

 abilities of any individual observer, especially one whose resources are 

 limited. The history of even a single species cannot be effected within 

 the course of several years. Neither are the finest specimens always ac- 

 cessible at pleasure, in their various stages, nor in that precise condition 

 illustrative of their parts and properties. Thence we are compelled too 

 often to be satisfied with mutilation instead of perfection, and with decay 

 for vigour : we must submit to many interruptions, both from privation of 

 our specimens, and from inability to obtain others of the race : or resolve 

 to accept in the end a mere accumulation of isolated points, without the 

 means of analysis and combinations. Thus it is, perhaps, that natura- 

 lists are usually content with founding theories, and detailing descriptions 

 of dead subjects, from which so little can be gathered in proof of what is 

 displayed by their animated state. Nevertheless, under multiplied disad- 

 vantages, if many tread a similar path, and if their industry be not ab- 

 solutely unrequited, a mass of information is derived from their common 

 zeal, ultimately profitable to the cause of learning. 



I confess myself unable to determine whether the subject of the pre- 

 sent paragraph be the Sertularia argentea or the Sertularia cupressina of 

 authors, particularly from entertaining doubts whether the two be truly 

 different. According to the concentrated matter, always so usefully brought 

 together by Dr Johnston, I should incline to think it the Cupressina, but 

 identification fails on resorting to specific detail. Neither is it to be en- 

 tirely identified with the Argentea. Whence, to shun the perplexity, I 

 had provisionally designed my own the Sertularia uber, from certain ap- 

 pearances, leaving future systematic naturalists to reconcile the differences. 



Meantime, to avoid embarrassment from precipitate innovation, the 

 name Argentea is retained. 



This Sertularia is the tallest of the zoophytes belonging to the Scotish 

 seas, — reaching nearly a yard in height. Therefore, in representing it from 

 Nature, a smaller specimen has to be selected. — PI. XXXVII. It rises 

 from a root no larger than the scale of a herring, a mere speck in com- 

 parison to the length of the stem, which is surprisingly slender, and almost 

 cylindrical throughout, but when in greatest perfection, a little smaller at 



