FOSSIL CORALS. 



75 



globe during the formation of the Wenlock limestone, 

 and has been in existence ever since. Another recent 

 British coral is the little Balanophyllia regia. Both 

 these British corals may be seen in the living state 

 in the small table tanks at the 

 Crystal Palace and Brighton 

 Aquaria, and a brief examina- 

 tion of them will enable the 



student to form a good idea of Fig. ^Z.—Balanophyma regia, a 



. recent British Coral (natural size). 



how the hard calcareous sub- 

 stance which remains as " coral " is secreted by the 

 investing flesh. He will also be able to restore, in 

 imagination, the vivid and many-coloured appearance 

 presented by the sea- 

 floors of the Palaeozoic 

 epoch, when corals were 

 so abundant, from the 

 tints and colours which 

 characterize the flesh of 

 living coral-animals. 



A quieter place for 

 fossil coral-hunting than 

 Dudley is the neigh- 

 bourhood of Wenlock, in 

 Shropshire, where tliat 

 division of the Upper 

 Silurian formation 

 called *' Wenlock limestone " crops up, and whence 

 it has derived its name. No better place would be 



Fig. 59. — Omphyina siiMurhhiata, a common 

 Silurian fossil Coral. 



