ZOOPHYTES. 



243 



at the extremity the fleshy polypes, surrounded with 

 their thread-like arms, protrude like a starry flower. 

 Our figure describes the Tubu- 

 lar Coralline (Tubularia indi- 

 visa), a very common zoophyte 

 on shells and stones, from deep 

 water ; and it may often be 

 found entangled among sea- 

 weeds, cast up by the waves 

 on the beach. Many who are 

 accustomed to pick up sea- 

 weeds, and other marine ob- 

 jects, are perplexed by this 

 zoophyte, as it seems a bundle 

 of fibres, which, at first ap- 

 pearance, resemble a root 

 torn from some sea-plant. On 

 closely examining it, however, 

 even without a microscope, 

 the hollow pipe-like nature is 

 clearly evident. Ellis compared it to oaten straws 

 with the joints cut off ; and except that the diameter 

 of the tubes is often smaller, this well describes it. 

 In fine specimens they are quite as large as an oaten 

 straw, but more commonly they are not larger than 

 the stalk of a primrose. These tubes are of the colour 

 and texture of thin horn, sometimes divided at 

 the base, and twisted into serpent-like forms ; and 

 they are occasionally ten or twelve inches high. 

 A reddish pink pulp, which unites all this singular 

 family of polypes into one animal, runs through 

 the tubes, from the open ends of which issue the 

 polypes. A scarlet knob, forming itself above 

 into a kind of proboscis, is surrounded by a num- 

 ber of short scarlet tentacula ; and at the base of 

 R 2 



