46 ZOOPHYTES. 



lucent green, frequently as transparent as common green glass, but less 

 shining, or, as already said, they were yellowish or dingy white. Portions 

 newer and later are clearer and lighter than the old. The whole product 

 is of somewhat gelatinous aspect. 



Recent accessions to adults are readily discovered. The specimen 

 Plate XIII. above quoted, whereof all the parts were nearly round, was 

 obtained on June 8. New prominences, paler and fresher than the rest, 

 had arose on the 27th, Plate XVII. fig. 8, which were covered by numerous 

 hydrae, with about 15 tentacula. 



On June 22 two superficial slices were cut from the same specimen, 

 for the purpose of examining what appeared granules in the flesh. But 

 none could be now recognized. 



On the 27th of July, however, innumerable hydra? were displayed 

 from the surface of these slices, which I concluded to be the original 

 animals still surviving. 



The hydra? of the Alcyonium being distributed over the whole sur- 

 face, from the root to the summit, they are in such vast multitudes, that 

 the reciprocal exercise of their respective external parts is intercepted. 

 They are extremely vivacious, and some have been so hardy as to appear 

 on exposure to the light, though their element had not been renewed for 

 eight days. 



Such a great profusion of animals diffused from the surface indicates 

 the reproduction of the hydra 1 ; for considering the minute proportions of 

 those to be deemed in early stages, it is obvious that the original genera- 

 tion must be overwhelmed, and those succeeding also obliterated succes- 

 sively by the increment of the subject. 



Independently of the papillous and cellular formation above alluded 

 to, much difference appears in the surface of specimens. In some it is 

 scarcely possible to distinguish any prominences whatever while the hydrae 

 are in retreat ; a multitude of obtuse conical frusta covers others ; or they 

 are profusely interspersed with active hydra 1 , fig. 10, extremity of fig. 5 ; 

 fig. 11 the summit of fig. 3. 



Perpetuation. — The same general laws apply to the preservation of 

 the Alcyonic race as govern the evolution and the increment of several 



