CORALS. 37 



main features of their lives to state the following facts as showing 

 forth their history. 



The compound stem of the zoophyte is composed of Polypes 

 (Zooids), living an associated life, and so connected together as 

 to produce the most graceful, plant-like structures vegetating 

 like a tree, putting forth thousands of Polype-buds like leaves, 

 but all of them alive, and hungrily supplying the commonwealth 

 with food. After a time, however just as a plant puts forth its 

 flowers buds are produced, charged with the perpetuation of the 

 species ; and these soon ripen into transparent urns, beautifully 

 sculptured and furnished with lids which, when opened, give issue 

 to innumerable active blossoms, able to flit about through the 

 water like butterflies, laden with eggs, and ready to disseminate 

 their race through distant seas. 



CHAPTER VI. 

 CORALS. ANTHOZOA.* 



IF earth can boast its gardens and parterres, so can the bottom 

 of the sea ; nor do the flowers of ocean yield one jot, either 

 in the elegance of their forms or the brilliancy of their colouring, 

 to the blossoms that adorn the realms of Flora. The Corallines 

 that we have hitherto considered, constitute, as it were, but the 

 mosses and the lichens of the coral landscape : we must now turn 

 our attention to the larger plants and shrubs. The Zoophytes, f 

 that next present themselves to our consideration, imitate nearly 

 every variety of terrestrial vegetation. Trees of coral exist, which, 

 though they do not equal in size the oaks of our forests, are grace- 

 fully branched, and their whole surface blooms with coral-polypes 

 in the place of leaves and flowers. Our shrubs, our rose-trees, 

 beds of pinks and feathery ferns are all reflected, as it were, in 

 mimic beauty. Some species spread themselves into broad 

 leaves, studded with Polype flowers. The gorgeous blossoms of 

 the cactus, the full-blown sunflower, and the wreathing vine have 

 each their living representatives. Besides these forms, imitating 



* av6os, anthos, a flvwer ; faov, zoon, an animal: so called from their resemblance 

 to flowers. 



t &ov, zoon, an animal ; farov, phyton. a plant : thus named by the older natu- 

 ralists from their plant-like appearance. 



