ON POLYPS. 



clue to the investigation of other forms, to be mentioned hereafter.* 

 The Tubiporse live in society, but do not appear to be organically 

 united as the compound polyps; a group of these animals presents 



Fig. 9. 



several stages of tubes, placed one above another ; the tubes are ge- 

 nerally straight, and nearly parallel to each other, but appear 

 slightly to diverge, as ra- 

 diating from a common 

 centre ; they are separated 

 by considerable intervals, 

 and reciprocally support each 

 other by horizontal laminae 

 of the same substance as 

 the tubes themselves, which 

 unite them. From each tube 

 issues a little membranous 

 animal of a brilliant grass- 

 green colour, the mouth 

 being surrounded by eight 

 tentacles, which are furnished 

 along their edges with two or 

 three rows of minute fleshy 

 papillae. Within the mouth 

 of the specimen examined by 

 M. Lamouroux, was found an 



* Anatomic de Tubipore Musical, par M. Lamouroux, in the Zoology of Quoy et 

 Gaimard, Voyage de 1'Uranie. 



