CLASSIFICATION. 65 



without a vascular or separate respiratory or nervous system. 

 The alimentary canal is very variable, but the aperture to it 

 is always superior, circular, edentulous, and surrounded by 

 tubular, or more commonly, by filiform tentacula. Many 

 are asexual, and it is doubtful whether any species has dis- 

 tinct sexes. The individuals (polypes) of a few families are 

 separate, and perfect in themselves, but the great majority 

 of zoophytes are compound animals, viz., each zoophyte 

 consists of an indefinite number of individuals or polypes 

 organically connected, and placed in calcareous, horny, or 

 membranous cases or cells, forming, by their aggregation, 

 corals or plant-like polypidoms." 



There is also a tribe of beautiful little creatures some- 

 times called ciliated polypes, which I wish, in passing, 

 briefly to notice ; for though they do not strictly fall within 

 our province, we gladly recognize them as relatives, not 

 very far removed from our rightly accredited zoophytes, 

 which all rejoice in being furnished with tentacula. As my 

 object is to inspire my young friends with the love of na- 

 ture, and with the love of Him who, while he gives to 

 nature so many charms, should be much *more endeared to 

 us as the God of grace, I am not unwilling, at any time, to 

 step aside from the strictly systematic path, to ponder for a 



