NATURAL HISTORY 



BEITISH ZOOPHYTES. 



INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY OF 

 ZOOPHYTOLOGY. 



The study of tlie various classes of animals which 

 are included in the somewhat paradoxical name of 

 Zoophytes is one which will always be attractive to the 

 Naturalist, especially if the microscope form one of his 

 ordinary instruments of observation. Widely sepa- 

 rated from each other in structure as these classes 

 are, they, nevertheless, are generally studied together; 

 and, although the name Zoophyte has ceased to convey 

 any special meaning, it is still used to denote all those 

 animals, whether belonging to the hydrozoa, actinozoa, 

 or polyzoa, which, judged by their appearance only, 

 would often almost justify the application to them of 

 the term in its literal sense. The animals, which have 

 to be considered under this general term, vary in size 

 as greatly as in structure ; and, in giving descriptions 

 of them, we find that they range from the beautifully 



B 



