THE ZOOPHYTES. 143 



polypidom, forming the whole mass into tubes, each ending 

 on the surface in pores or cells, where alone the animal seems 

 to dwell ; but the polypes of the proper zoophyta, so far from 

 constructing their plant-like polypidoms, are, on the contrary, 

 the productions or efflorescences of it ; just as the flowers do 

 not make the herb or tree, but are the results of the vegetative 

 life proceeding to perfection." Polypes, according to this fancy, 

 bore the same relation to their polypidom that flowers do to 

 the trunks and branches of a tree both grew by vegetation ; 

 but while the one evolved from the extremities blossoms 

 which shrank not under external irritation and were therefore 

 properly flowers, the other put forth flowers which, because 

 they exhibited every sign of animality, were therefore with 

 reason considered animals. In a letter to Ellis he remarks, 

 alluding to the zoophytes, "they are, therefore, vegetables, 

 with flowers like small animals." In his " Diary," Linnaeus 

 further remarks that they are "vegetables with respect to their 

 stems, and animals with respect to their florescence." 



Zoophytes were deemed by other naturalists to be of mineral 

 origin. This theory was particularly advocated by Henry 

 Baker. "The rocks in the sea on which these corals are 

 produced," he says, "are undoubtedly replete with mineral 

 salts, some whereof, near their surface, being dissolved by 

 the sea water, must consequently saturate with their saline 

 particles the water round them to a small distance, where, 

 blending with the stony matter with which the sea water 

 always abounds, little masses will be constituted here and 

 there and affixed to the rocks. Such adhering masses may 

 be termed roots, which roots, attracting the saline and stony 

 particles, according to certain laws in nature, may produce 



