HYDEOID ZOOPHYTES. 43 



which they afford of the restorative power of Nature, we 

 must be destitute of feehng, if our praise of creative wisdom 

 fall sliort of enthusiasm. 



SeRTULARIA POLYZONIAS; 



Or Great Toothed Coralline. The following is Dr. 

 Johnston's definition of the genus Serttdaria : " Polypidom 

 (or Coral-house) growing in the shape of a plant and fixed 

 by its base, variously branched ; the divisions or branches 

 formed of a single tube, denticulated or serrated with the 

 cells, and jointed at regular intervals : cells alternate or 

 paired, biserial, sessile, urceolate, short, with everted aper- 

 tures ; ovarian vesicles scattered. Polypes hydraform.''^ 



The general appearance of this Zoophyte, is that of 

 finely serrated, and variously branched, minute sticks or 

 straws ; and it is only on minute examination that we find 

 that one being pervades the whole; that the notches are 

 cells ; and that each cell is filled by an arm or branch 

 of the animal ending in a polype, furnished with a bunch 

 of tentacula. In this species the cells are short, smooth, 

 and truncated ; while here and there appears an ovarian 

 vesicle of a rounded form, and spirally grooved, much 

 larger than the ordinary cells. In Sertularia nigosa, on 



