ORDER ACTINOIDEA. 79 
new series of polyps developing successively near the margin: the 
same foliaceous corals often form elongating processes or stems. One 
or more polyps at a point in a folium begin to bud and grow prolately 
upward; and bud follows bud, until the protuberance becomes a branch. 
This may be seen in some foliaceous Meruline,* and the ramose 
species are other examples of the same. 
c. These ramose species branch, either by furcation or by lateral 
shoots. The latter process does not differ from that just described. 
In the former, the polyps at apex commence simultaneously two or 
more lines of buds, which lengthen out in the cumulate manner 
elucidated. This same principle is illustrated in many Meandrine 
corals. ‘The lines of polyps, as above stated, result from a succes- 
sion of buds in a single series. These lines frequently furcate or 
give out lateral branches; the polyp, at the extremity of a line, by 
originating side-buds, each commencing a separate series, produces 
thus the furcation. The margin of almost any Meandrina, or of the 
folium of a Merulina, affords examples of this. The process is con- 
nected with the increasing breadth of the margin, like the marginal 
growth and budding of an Astrea. 
In the foliate corals, the folia are constantly subdividing or be- 
coming lobed, on the principle explained in the latter part of § 74 a.t+ 
80. Relation of the Astreide to the recent Caryophylide. The 
distinction in the mode of budding, and the prominent peculiarities 
of their coralla, as laid down ({ 48), seem to draw a wide line of 
division between the Astreide and Caryophyllide. Yet, as in other 
departments of nature, there are in fact no such lines; gradual transi- 
tions, much to the annoyance of the systematist, link the whole 
together. By observing the transitions, we may distinguish more 
definitely where the distinctions actually le. ‘The Astras, which 
commence this transition, instead of budding from near the centre of 
the parent, or its summit disk, give out buds exterior to the same, as 
in the A. argus. The polyps differ commonly from those of other 
Astreas, in being more prominent above the general surface, and the 
aggregated individuals are not coalescent so nearly to their summits. 
The interstices are lamello-striate as before, though hardly as promi- 
nently so. Following down the transition, we find certain species 
(A. microphthalma and A. ocellina) in which the polyps stand their 
diameter in height above the general surface. ‘The union of the 
* Plate 15, figure 1. t See the remarks under the genus Pavonia. 
