398 ZOOPHYTES. 



III. Glomerate, cellis tubulatis, laxl aggregatis. 



GENUS X. ANTHOPHYLLUM. SCHWEIGGER. 



GaryaphyllidcE. aggregator, glomeratce. Corolla tubulos caliculatos mas- 

 semque cakaream spongiosam interstitialem, composita ; caliculis 

 prominentibus, parietibus persolidis et scepe leviter striatis ; lamellis 

 integris, scepius exsertis. 



Aggregato-gemmate, glomerate. Coralla consisting of calicular tubes, 

 and a separable spongy calcareous base ; calicles prominent, with 

 very solid sides, often faintly striate; lamellae entire, generally 

 exsert. 



The Anthophylla form clusters of tubes, which project above the 

 spongy base, by which they are surrounded below. The lamellae are 

 often very prominent, and bristle the surface of the corallum; and in 

 the live zoophyte, each corresponds to a tentacle of the animal, and is 

 formed by secretions, within one of these organs. In one species 

 examined, a series of bright green tentacles surrounded the top of the 

 tube, like a string of emerald beads, while above, was a corona of 

 other erect tentacles, tipped with pale green. A large mass covered 

 with these tubular polyps, each with its emerald necklace, is one 

 of the most beautiful objects of coral growth. In other species the 

 lamellae are short, and the animals more resemble the ordinary coral 

 polyp. 



These species form rude masses, either nodular or subcylindrical, 

 and more or less lobed or subdivided. The tubes in the species 

 known, vary from an eighth to a third of an inch in diameter, and 

 usually taper downward. 



The Anthophylla, in the compact or solid walls of their tubes, as 

 well as their frequent prominent lamellae, approach more nearly to 

 the Oculinae, than to the Dendrophylliae and Caryophylliae, and might 

 form a subfamily along with that genus, and the Stylince. 



This group, which is part of the Gary ophy Ilia of Lamarck, is re- 

 ferred to the Sarcinula of that author, by Blainville, as one of his 

 Sarcinulse is apparently of this genus. The species constitute the 

 larger part of Schweigger's genus AnihophyUum ; and Ehrenberg, in 



