512 



ANTIPATHES. OR BLACK CORAL. BED COKAL. 



abundant; so that the crust, when dry, is sometimes even 'thicker 

 than the stem, The solidifying matter having thus entirely left 

 the flesh, we find it extremely soft ; so soft, indeed, that when 

 brought up from the depths of the sea, this substance runs off 

 almost entirely, leaving the integument adhering to the axis. 

 In the Corallium rubrum, or Red Coral, the solidification of the 

 axis has proceeded still further ; for it contains not only horny 

 animal matter, but a large quantity of calcareous particles, so 

 closely deposited in every part, as to give great solidity to the 

 stem, and to enable it to receive a fine polish when cut into 

 fragments. This is a valuable article of commerce, and is prin- 

 cipally obtained from the Mediterranean, where it is brought up 

 from considerable depths. No vestige of polype-cells can be 

 detected upon the surface of the axis. These are confined to 

 the flesh and its integument, which are both very soft; the 

 latter does not contain 

 enough calcareous mat- 

 ter to make it percepti- 

 ble as a crust when dried 

 upon the axis. The 

 density of the Red Coral 

 renders it very brittle ; 

 and, did it not grow in 

 a somewhat stunted form, 

 it would be liable to in- 

 jury from the violent 

 motion of the water in 

 which it grows. There 

 is a very interesting 

 species of this group, 

 which connects in a re- 

 markable manner the 

 stony Corallium with 

 the horny Antipathes. 

 This is the Isis Hippu- 

 ris, in which the stem 

 is composed of both these substances alternately, so as to ive it 



FIG. 719. RED CORAL. 



