184 ZOOPHYTES. 



haps both extremities of the bone of an entire specimen will prove of this 

 peculiar character, or nearly so. 



If the lower part of the flesh remains smooth and of vermicular 

 aspect, the upper portion is probably continually extending by lobes giving 

 birth to new hydra;. 



It is not unlikely that the origin of each lobe is a hydra, terminating 

 the higher extremity of an entire specimen. 



From all concurring circumstances it may be reasonably inferred, that 

 the Virgularia lies horizontally at some depth on the bottom of the sea. 

 The soft extremity below has no external character corresponding with the 

 presence or the office of a root. Besides, the bone seems entirely deficient of 

 all the qualities of a stem, and too little adapted for resisting the greater and 

 more frequent injury to which the product would be liable if growing erect. 



Nevertheless in saying this, it is only mere conjecture. It would be 

 very desireable to ascertain what is truly the fact, which might not be 

 easily done. 



I call this hard, internal central substance, bone or shell, which is the 

 name given to it by all naturalists. Perhaps there is a greater disparity 

 between its length and diameter than in any other substance of the kind. 

 There are some very slender bones indeed, but I believe none of such com- 

 parative disproportion. 



Probably the diameter of the bone of a full grown specimen is not 

 above a thousandth part of its length. I found by actual experiment that 

 fifty portions were confined within the limits of an inch ; no more than 

 the fiftieth part of an inch being thus the diameter of each. Therefore the 

 preceding bone of 18 inches actually extracted from a specimen, exceeded 

 its diameter 900 times. Whence it is no exaggeration to affirm, that the 

 length of the central bone of a full grown specimen may be a thousand 

 times its diameter. 



Nothing enables us to indulge the slightest conjecture of its use. In 

 respect to the bones of many animals it is otherwise. But here we can 

 hardly allow its protective utility, for it seems scarcely calculated for pro- 

 tecting itself, far less the softer, more tender, and delicate parts, the first 

 exposed to injury. 



