﻿6. LTGUS. 17 



disappear. By this action the highly elastic axis must be bent at 

 the lower extremity, where it is naturally slightly curved ; and I 

 imagine it is by this elasticity alone that the zoophyte is enabled to 

 rise again through the mud. Each polypus, though closely united 

 to its brethren, has a distinct mouth, body, and tentacula. 



" Of these polypi, in a large specimen, there must be many thou- 

 sands ; yet we see that they act by one movement ; they have also 

 one central axis connected -nith a system of obscure circiilation, and 

 the ova are produced in an organ distinct from the separate indivi- 

 duals. Well may one be allowed to ask, what is an individual? It 

 is always interesting to discover the foundation of the strange tales 

 of the old voyagers; and I have no doubt that the habit of this 

 Virgularki explains one such case. Capt. Lancaster, in his voyage 

 in 1601, narrates 'that on the sea-sand of the island of Sombrero, 

 in the East Indies, he found a small twig growing up like a young 

 tree, and on offering to pluck it up, it shrinks down to the ground, 

 and sinks, unless held very hard. On being plucked ap a great 

 worm is found to be its root, and as the tree groweth in grer.tness, 

 so doth the worm diminish ; and as soon as the worm is entirely 

 turned into a tree, it rooteth in the -earth, and so becomes great. 

 This transformation is one of the strangest wonders that I saw in 

 my travels ! for if this tree be plucked up while young, and the 

 leaves and bark stripped off, it becomes as hard as stone when dry, 

 much like white coral ; thus is this w^orm twice transformed into 

 different natures. Of this we gathered and brought home many.' " 

 — Darwin, Journal of Research, p. 199. 



b. Ridge of polype-cells contracted at the base ; cells radiate, fleshy. 



6. LYGUS. 



Coral free, elongate ; base swollen into a bulb ; upper part with 

 a series of semicircular fleshy lobes on each side, consisting of 8 

 radiating polyi3e-cells ; tentacles retractile. The cells not produced. 

 Axis elongate, filiform, cyliudiical, flexible. 



Lygus, Herklots,Not. p.l4; Gray, Ann. 8f Mag. Nat. Hist.\S(SO,\. p.21. 



Virgularia, Lamk. A. s. V. ii. p. 430. 



Virgularia, sp., Milne-Edw. 8f Haime, Corall. i. p. 212. 



15. Lygus mirabilis. B.M. 



Coral filiform, elongate ; base swollen ; the lateral lobes recurved, 

 each bearing 8 polype-cells. The lower part of the rachis with 

 serrated bands of the not yet developed polyjiiferous lobes. 



Pennatala mirabilis, Midler, Z. Dan. ii. t. 11 ; Pallas, Zooph. p. 370; 



Sav. Brit. Misc. p. 51, t. 25. 

 Virgularia mirabilis, Lamh. A. s. V. ii. p. 430, ed. 2. ii. p. 647; Cuvier, 



It A. iii. p. 318; Ehrenb. Corall. r. M. ; Blainv. Man. d'Act. p. 514, 



t. 96. f. 3 (cop. Midler) ; Johnston, Brit. Zooph. ed. 2, p. 161, t. 30; 



Dana, Zooph. p. 592 ; Milne-Edw. Sf Haime, Corall. i. p. 212 ; Cuvier, 



R. A. t. 91. f. 2. 

 Virgularia laxipinua, Blainv. Man. d'Act. p. 514, t. 90. f. 5. 



c 



