PROGRESS OF REPORT ON ZOOPHYTES 



though in studying corals, I have necessarily acquainted 

 myself to some extent with this division of zoophytes, I 

 have still dreaded the responsibility of publishing the 

 new species of the expedition, as these animals are among 

 the most difficult objects in science to work up so as not 

 to expose the author to severe criticism. With such aid 

 as I might have obtained from different sources, including 

 Mr. Couthouy, I was willing to undertake it. I should 

 not have proposed the study of them, had I not believed 

 it incumbent on me to make the volume on zoophytes 

 complete in all its departments." 



DANA TO ASA GRAY 



" NEW HAVEN, February 6, 1846. 



* The work is a complete treatise on zoophytes, and 

 appears to consist of non-expedition matter. But in fact, 

 with few exceptions, the whole is based on expedition in- 

 formation. Errors in description of species and in the 

 laying down of genera were numerous in the books; 

 many species were confounded under a single name, and 

 the same name had been differently used by different 

 authors. I could not describe my own species, which in 

 the principal sub-order were nearly as many as all known, 

 without giving the characters, more definitely, of those 

 known. I could not correct the errors in any more con- 

 cise way than by describing anew. Patching on new 

 species to an old system, which the facts could not sus- 

 tain, seemed not to be my duty. 



' The observations made were as important for correct- 

 ing errors as for instituting species, and I have conse- 

 quently undertaken to reconstruct the science, revise, 

 correct, and systematize the whole. 



I allude particularly to this, as it has been said that 

 some of the congressmen will or may object to the book 

 on the ground of the matter not appearing to be of ex- 

 pedition collection. ' Too complete! ' 



DANA TO ASA GRAY 



"NEW HAVEN, February 12, 1846. 



' Your communication from the Academy of Arts and 

 Sciences shall be presented to the Connecticut Academy, 



H7 



