CAMPANULARIA. 211 



CHAPTER T. 



CAMPANULARIA. 



It is less from conviction of its use or necessity than from the expe- 

 diency of compliance with modern fashion, that the present title is applied 

 to the brief chapter introduced here. 



Besides, I cannot but judge it questionable whether the genus Cam- 

 panularia should be retained in the St/stema, at least as now constituted. 



If new genera are to be framed from the partial dismemberment of 

 those already established, and augmented by the incorporation of other 

 species, we expect, in the first place, that they shall be founded on in- 

 delible characters ; and, in the second, that an incongruous association of 

 the component parts of these species shall be avoided. 



Naturalists, perhaps too earnest in quest of ostensible distinctions to 

 warrant a change of nomenclature, or to facilitate what they presume are 

 better arrangements, have precipitately adopted as permanent features, 

 what time and study will prove no more than transient. 



An example may be probably found in this paragraph. But it is not 

 for that reason the subject is introduced. On the contrary, as we are still 

 engaged with the hydraoid arborescent zoophytes, it is for farther illustra- 

 tion of their nature. We also find an opportunity for resuming a view of 

 some remote connection between the origin of one animal and the exis- 

 tence of another, without being able to trace any reciprocity either in form 

 or in habits, between them. 



While shortly treating of the Tubularia ramosa, in another place, 

 something was said of the mysterious appearance of certain species of Me- 

 dusae, and the perplexities wherein they involved the observer. Were 



