THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. I ^ 



The well-known Coral (Fig. 109) is the type of the next 

 group. The animals which form this beautiful substance 

 do not live in the polypidom, but in the fleshy matter 

 which covers it, and of which they form a part the hard, 

 tree-like stem being formed inside this living covering. 



Fig. 109. RED CORAL. 



Dr. Lankester, in one of his published lectures, gives the 

 following particulars in relation to coral : " The Red 

 Coral is found abundantly in the Mediterranean, in the 

 Persian Gulf, and in the Red Sea, and also off the island 

 of Ceylon. In the Straits of Messina there is a coral 

 ground of about six miles, from whence there is obtained 

 about twelve quintals of coral annually (a quintal is about 

 250 Ibs.), so that this district furnishes about 3,000 Ibs. of 



