'j??34 1 COMPOUND ANIMALS. 203 



starts. When touched with a needle, the beak generally 

 seized the point so firmly, that the whole branch might 

 be shaken. 



These bodies have no relation whatever with the 

 production of the eggs or gemmules, as they are formed 

 before the young polypi appear in the cells at the end of the 

 growing branches ; as they move independently of the 

 polypi, and do not appear to be in any way connected with 

 them ; and as they differ in size on the outer and inner 

 rows of cells, I have little doubt, that in their functions, 

 they are related rather to the horny axis of the branches 

 than to the polypi in the cells. The fleshy appendage at 

 the lower extremity of the sea-pen (described at Bahia 

 Blanca) also forms part of the zoophyte, as a whole, in 

 the same manner as the roots of a tree form part of the 

 whole tree, and not of the individual leaf or flower-buds. 



In another elegant little coralline {Crisia?)t each cell 

 was furnished with a long-toothed bristle, which had the 

 power of moving quickly. Each of these bristles and each 

 of the vulture-like heads generally moved quite independ- 

 ently of the others, but sometimes all on both sides of a 

 branch, sometimes only those on one side, moved together 

 coinstantaneously ; sometimes each moved in regular order 

 one after another. In these actions we apparently behold 

 as perfect a transmission of will in the zoophyte, though 

 composed of thousands of distinct polypi, as in any single 

 animal. The case, indeed, is not different from that of the 

 sea-pens, which, when touched, drew themselves into the 

 sand on the coast of Bahia Blanca. I will state one other 

 instance of uniform action, though of a very different 

 nature, in a zoophyte closely allied to Clytia, and therefore 

 very simply organised. Having kept a large tuft of it in 

 .1 basin of salt water, when it was dark I found that as 

 often as I rubbed any part of a branch, the whole became 

 -.trongly phosphorescent with a green light : I do not think 

 I ever saw any object more beautifully so. But the remark- 

 able circumstance was, that the flashes of light always 

 proceeded up the branches, from the base towards the 

 extremities. 



The examination of these compound animals was always 



very interesting to me. What can be more remarkable 



lian to see a plant-like body producing an e^^, capable of 



wimming about and of choosing a proper place to adhere 



), which then sprouts into branches, each crowded with 



