142 



too minute, complicated, and delicate, to have been formed in this 

 manner. In consequence of the very perfect state of this specimen, 

 some circumstances in the structure of this zoophyte are discovered, 

 which are not noticed by either Mr. Walch or by Faujas St. Fond, in 

 the specimens which they describe. Whether these amount to speci- 

 fic differences, or are merely accidental varieties, cannot, perhaps, 

 be ascertained, until other illustrative specimens have been compared 

 with these. 



The perpendicular lamellre forming the rays of each star, are closely 

 united to each other, by minute and regularly disposed, transverse 

 processes. Innumerable, intercurrent, circular filaments also spread 

 themselves, not only from the top of one of these stars to another, but, 

 in a similar manner, pass even through the bodies of several of these 

 stars, thus connecting all the stellated columns together. The whole 

 of this structure, so different in every respect from the other works of 

 madreporean polypes, is sufficiently inexplicable to excuse the various 

 conjectures which have been made, whilst endeavouring to discover 

 the mode in which this zoophyte originally existed. 



On one part of the surface of this fossil, a substance is placed which, 

 at first glance, gives the idea of an echinite, possessing a rounded 

 form and a rnamillated surface. But a close examination of this 

 body gives considerable reason for believing it to be an alcyonium ; 

 marks of the stelliform oscula of which still appear on the apices of 

 the little mounds, from which it derives its mamillated surface. Se- 

 veral smaller bodies of this kind are also observed, rising up on dif- 

 ferent parts of the superior surface. 



Another description of bodies are also observable on other parts of 

 this superior surface. These are oblong, and somewhat approach- 

 ing to the fusiform ; and from the appearance of delicate traces of 

 stellated figures, I at first conjectured that these bodies were alcyonia, 

 and that these stellated marks were to be considered as the remains of 

 the openings, which are the residences of the polypi peculiar to these 



