BRAIN-STONK CORAL. 1 



family by whose secretions vast reefs of coral rocks are formed, 

 and mountain masses of calcareous matter produced. They be- 

 long to the order Coraliferi, or coral-making, and the class 

 Polypi of Cuvier's Animal Kingdom. The mode of increase of 

 the polyparia is very remarkable. If the flustra just referred to, 

 be carefully watched, a small globule will be observed to be thrown 

 off from the mass, and attaching itself to the sea-weed or rocks, 

 will become the germ of a new colony of this compound animal, 

 as it increases in size it will exhibit upon closer inspection the 

 usual characteristics of the flustra, and if the gelatinous or jelly- 

 like substance is removed, a small spot of calcareous matter will 

 be found. The stony secretions of the coral forming animals, 

 appears upon examination to be of the same character as that of 

 shells; some specimens appearing of the same composition as 

 the pearly shells, and others the same as the enamelled shells. In 

 form and color there is condiderable diversity. Our limits will 

 only permit us to give figures of several of the different species, 

 without a lengthened or minute description. The most common 

 varieties of corals, which compose the coral reefs and banks, are 

 the following, according to Lamarck. The Meandrina, or brain- 

 stone coral, which derives its name from the meandering cells, 

 and its general appearance, which resembles the brain, as figured 

 below. Figure 1, represents the animal as seen alive in the sea, 



the polypi are retracted or concealed, it is of a reddish or fawn 

 color. Fig. 2 is the coral as it appears when divested of its gelatin- 

 ous covering. This zoophyte sometimes attains the size of four 

 feet in circumference. The base of the Meandrina is firmly at- 

 tached to the rocks with which it soon becomes identical : as each 



