404 ZOOPHYTES. 



Fasciculate-glomerate; tubes of the coralla cylindrical and striate, 

 connected by transverse septa and often also by a cellular base; 

 the centre of the cells exsurgent. 



The Stylinse, as Blainville suggests, resemble the smaller species of 

 Orbicellse, especially the A. pleiades; but they are distinct in the hori- 

 zontal septa of the interstices, and the absence or paucity of trans- 

 verse dissepiments in the tubes ; and in this last respect they have 

 the characters of the Caryophyllise. The star in a transverse section 

 is a simple series of rays radiating from a central spot, sometimes 

 quite large ; and in a vertical section, the same simple structure is seen. 

 The centre of the cell is often observed to be quite prominent, and on 

 this character the genus was first founded. Milne Edwards states 

 that the exsert centre is not constant, but forms and disappears at 

 intervals by a peculiar process of growth.* 



The Stylinae are near the Anthophylla, but differ from them in the 

 transverse plates of the interstitial material uniting the tubes; and, 

 moreover, the tubes are in general decidedly striate, and minute dis- 

 sepiments form cellules in the stria?. The mode of growth by which 

 the centre of the cell becomes prominent is also peculiar. 



The Sarcinulre, according to Milne Edwards, differ but little from 

 the Stylinse; and Blainville unites them to the Anthophylla: but the 

 Sarcinula organum, figured in the Ama3n. Acad., i. tab. 4, fig. 6, has 

 no relation to either of these groups, and is allied to the Columnaria3. 

 See the remarks upon the Cyathophyllidse. 



STYLINA ECHINULATA. (Lamarck.} 

 S. crassa, fasciculata, sessilis, corallo stylis truncatis superm echinato. 



Massive fasciculate, sessile. Corallum above echinate with truncate 

 styliform prominences. 



* Speaking of the cells Milne Edwards says : " Elles sont d'abord tubiformes et lamel- 

 leuses cotnme des Astrees, mais bientot elles se remplissent, s'etalent, et ferment ainsi une 

 cloison transversale surmontee d'un mamelon central, et dont la forme ressemble un 

 peu a celle d'un chapeau de cardinal ; de cette cloison horizontale s'eleve un nouveau 

 tube qui, a son tour eprouve des modifications analogues et ainsi de suite, de facon que le 

 meme Polypier presente taritot les caractferes d'un Styline tantot ceux d'une Sarcinulc." 

 Lamarck, 2d ed. ii. p. 339. 



