462 



THE MICROSCOPE. 



POLYPIFERA. The chief characteristic of this vast race 

 of animals is, that their mouths are surrounded by 

 radiating tentacula, arranged some- 

 what like the ray of a flower; and hence 

 the term Zoophyte. So plant-like, 

 indeed, are their forms, that the early 

 observers regarded them as vegetating 

 stones, and invented many theories to 

 explain their growth. 



They belong to a sub-kingdom 

 termed Coelenterata, now divided and 

 subdivided by Professor Huxley into 

 the following : 



Septa, *c., x 5 or 6. Septa, &c., x 4. 



Simple soft-bodied. 



1. ACTINIDJE. 1. BEROID2E. 



Actinea, Minyas. Cydippe, Cesium. 



Compound Skeleton spicular, 



2. ZOANTHID.ZE. 2. ALCYONIDJS. 



Zoanthus. Alcyonium. 



Compound Skeleton sclerobasic. 

 3. ANTIPATHIDJE. 3. GORGONIDA. 



Antipathes. Gorgon-ia, Isis, 



Corallium. 



Compound and Simple Steleton thecal continuoua 



4. PERFORATA. 



Porites, Madrepora. 



5. TABULATA. 

 Millepora, Seriatopora. 



6. APOROSA. 

 Cyathina, Oculina. 

 Astrcea, Fungia. 



4. TUBIPORID.S:. 

 Tubipora* 

 5. RUGOSA. 

 Stauria, Cyuthanoniit. 

 Cyathophyllum. 

 Cystiphyllum. 



Opposed to all our common ideas 

 of animal life is this singular portion 

 of creation. If we cut a limb off a tree, 

 or sever that of an animal, these parts 

 will wither and decompose, by passing 

 into other forms of matter. Cut a tree 

 across its middle, and its natural symmetry is irrepa- 

 rably disfigured j slit it down its centre, aud it is de- 

 stroyed : all animals so treated suffer instant death, with 

 the exception of the polype tribe ; for they will put forth 

 new limbs, form a new head or tail, and if slit, become 

 two separate perfect creatures. 



Fig. 230. Asteroid 

 Zoophytes. 



