VOL. XLVII.J PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. ISQ 



and half, it widens at bottom, (fig. 9, n) and at the top, (a) and grows narrower 

 in the middle (o), assuming the proper consistence and hardness of coral. And 

 as this grows, the polypi are multiplied, and new branches of coral are formed. 

 Here then we see the vegetation of a plant, and the propagation of an animal. 

 It is submitted to the learned to decide at present, whether the coral belongs to 

 one of these kingdoms rather than to the other ; or whether, with greater jus- 

 tice, it deserves an intermediate place. 



Description of the Madrepora. See pi. 5, fig. A. This is entirely like the 

 coral, as to its hardness, which is equal to bone or marble. Its colour is white, 

 when polished. Its surface is lightly wrinkled, and the wrinkles run length- 

 wise of the branches. Its inside is of a particular organization ; having in the 

 centre a sort of cylinder, (fig. d, i) which is often pierced through its whole 

 length by 2 or 3 holes. From this cylinder are detached about 17 laminae, 

 (fig. D, k, k) which run to the circumference in straight lines (fig. d, m, m, m, m). 

 These laminae are transversely intersected by other laminae, (fig. d, q, q) which 

 form many irregular cavities throughout the whole plant. The branches (fig. a, 

 g, g) are conical ; and the basis of the cone is formed by the summit of the 

 branch (fig. a, e, e). Every one of these summits has wrinkles on its outside, 

 which run in the longitudinal direction of the branches (fig. b, c, c); and each 

 wrinkle answers to a lamina, (fig. c, e, u, e, u) and each lamina is of the shape 

 of a prism, (fig. e) the basis of which is warty, and faces the outside, (fig. c. 

 e, u) and its point is cut into teeth, (fig. e, n, n, n) and belongs to the inside. 

 The cellule, (fig. b, a, a, a, c, c, fig.c, e, e, u, u) which is of the shape of a 

 chalice, is composed of these laminae ranged into a circle. 



In every one of these cellules is found a little polypus, represented in fig. p, 

 but considerably magnified ; the mechanism of which is this : three different 

 parts, unlike each other, compose this animal ; viz. the feet, (fig. p, o, i) a 

 trough, (fig. F, g, H, t) and a head (fig. g, n). Each foot begins by 2 conical 

 appendices. By the union of these appendices a rounded part is formed, which 

 in some degree resembles the belly of a muscle, fig. h, i, fig. i, x) by means of 

 which the foot is shortened and lengthened. To this part (fig. i, x) is annexed 

 a little cylinder, *g. i, n, fig. h, c) the length of which is indeterminate. 



These feet are ranged all around in great number, and annexed to the laminze, 

 (fig. B, a, a, c, c) and are all united to the trough, (fig. h, c) on the outside of 

 which are seen 10 canities, with an equal number of prominences (fig. h, t, t, t 

 Sj s, c), and in these is lodged the animal's head, (fig. g) which has prickly rays, 

 the precise number of which could not be determined, on account of the ex- 

 treme velocity of the continual oscillatory motion of the head from right to left 

 and from left to right, yet he thought he could perceive the number of these rays 



