HISTORY OF RESEARCH. 9 



many true hydroid Medusa; arc (Icscribed; but the autliors had as yet failed to recognise the 

 fundamental differences between the hydroid Medusa^ and the proper Biscophora. 



In 1812 Cuvier published a sketch^ of his celebrated arrangement of the animal kingdom, 

 which he divides into four primary groups. To the last of these he assigns the name of 

 " Animalia Zoophyta sen Radiata." The group Radiata of Cuvier thus includes all the 

 Hydroida, but though more precise and definite than the "Vermes" of Linnaeus, it is still a 

 heterogeneous asscmlilage, and as it fails to recognise the distinction between grade of develop- 

 ment and morphological plan, it necessarily contains forms which belong to very different types. 



The beautiful researches of Savigny on the compound Ascidians were published in 1816,' 

 and by proving that a large number of organisms which, under the common name of Alcyoniuin, 

 had been hitherto associated with true coelenterate forms, are in reality Ascidians, these researches 

 must be regarded as an important step towards the final limitation of the primary groups of tiic 

 animal kingdom. 



For some time past a vast amount of material for the zoology of the invertebrate animals was 

 being accumulated, and a period had now arrived when a systematic arrangement of the whole was 

 loudly called for. It was in this state of things that a work destined to exert great influence on 

 the study of the lower animals made its appearance. The second volume of the ' Histoire Naturelle 

 des Animaux sans Vertebres' of Lamarck^ was published in 1816. In this celebrated work three 

 new genera of hydroids are instituted from their trophosomes, namely, Campanuhiria, Antennularia 

 and Plumularia. Among Medusae, however, Lamarck recognises only a portion of the genera 

 established by Peron and Lesueur, and in thus attempting to simplify the classifications of his 

 predecessors he falls behind the famous voyagers in the actual requirements of science. 



While Lamarck was engaged in the preparation of his ' Animaux sans Vertiibres,' 

 Lamouroux was occupied with the study of a set of flexible, plant-like organisms forming a 

 heterogeneous group, which included not only most of the hydroid trophosomes then known, but 

 also a large number of Actinozoa and Poli/zoa, and even many indubitable plants ; and in the 

 same year with the publication of the second volume of Lamarck's work there appeared a natural 

 history of these organisms by Lamouroux. Lamouroux'* has here defined some good additional 

 genera of hydroids characterised by their trophosomes ; though some of them are identical with 

 genera instituted by Lamarck under other names. The names given by Lamarck, however, have 

 found more general acceptance with subsequent authors ; and whatever doubt may be enter- 

 tained regarding actual priority of publication, the zoologist of the present day will scarcely 

 hesitate to give them the precedence, especially when it is remembered that Lamouroux had 

 complete access to all Lamarck's specimens which had been deposited in the Museum of the 

 Jardin des Plantes, and which had been already labelled with the names given to them by the 

 illustrious author of the ' Histoii-e des Animaux sans Vertebres.' 



' G. Cuvier, " Sur un nouveau rapprochement & etablir entre les classes qui composent le Regnc 

 Animal.'' ' Annales du Museum/ 1812. 



" Marie Jul. Caesar Lelorgue de Savigny, ' Memoires sur les Animaux sans Vertebres,' part ii, 

 Paris, 1816. 



' J. Bapt. P. Ant. de Monuet Lamarck, ' Histoire Naturelle des Animaux sans Vertebres,' 

 7 vols., Paris, 1815—1822. 



"" J. V. F. Lamouroux, ' Histoire des Polypiers Coralligenes flexible vulgairement nommes 

 Zoophytes,' Caen, 1816. 



•I 



