4, HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 
allowed that there is nothing in its growth similar to the 
growth of plants. The polype, that is, the animal part, 
grows, and increases in size like other animals; the polypi- 
dom, however, the house or covering of the polypes, though 
it grows, has nothing vegetable im its growth, but is caused 
to increase in size somewhat in the way that a shell is en- 
larged to suit the increasing size of its inhabitant. 
Were we writing the biographical account of any distin- 
guished person, or the history of any remarkable family, 
we should be disposed to trace their pedigree as far back 
as we could, especially if there were anything illustrious 
in the origin; nor would we fail to mention the existing 
relatives of the individual, and the various branches of the 
family, though widely spread throughout foreign lands, pro- 
vided they reflected honour on the person, or were creditable 
to the family we had undertaken to describe. The families 
of which we are about to treat, can, at all events, boast of 
their antiquity, for they are at least as ancient as the period 
of the flood. We know of no individuals, however, who 
have risen to extraordinary distinction, from low beginnings 
growing in excellence, and rising to high renown. There 
has been no such wonderful development. The Sertulariea 
that wave their plumes in the sea in the present day, are 
wer F 
