mi: COKAI.S AND .in.i.v FISHES. 



greatest ainoiint of food, and it is for tin- pmposc of feeding that they visit the oyster-tads in 

 such large droxcs. They arc not always abundant in (lie same places, hut seem ti> move ahunl. 

 I'lcili'-snr Verrill thinks "their habit of coming up to the shore may be connected with their 

 icpiodiictivc season." They do ubt enjoy too brackish water, and o\.>lcis in such locations are 

 sale iVoni their attacks. 



Ax/i'i-iiix riilt/in-in ranges from Ix>ng Island Sound to Labrador, and A.Ftirbrxii from Massa 

 chusetts May to the (lull of Mexico. The former species is, therefore, essentially a northern one, 

 and the latter a southern one, but over a certain region they oveilap. and it is through this region 

 and juM to the souih of it tliat most of the dam.ige is done. .-I. Forbexii is the shore species where 

 the uii-.iifi |i.u I of the oyster-beds occur, and it must assume most of the blame for the thousands 

 of oysters destroyed on these beds. 



236. THE CffiLENTERATES. 

 THR COKALS. 



Many of the (Common Florida Corals, from their graceful shapes and delicately sculptured 

 surfaces. ai<- highly prized for ornamental purposes, and have come to |H>SSCSS a certain coniincr 

 eial value. They are regularly kept for sale in most of the larger cities, such as Moston and New 

 York, and unusually tine specimens frequently command a high price. The group of Corals, as 

 popularly understood, includes members of two classes of the Cuslenterata, the I'olyp Corals and 

 the Hydroid Corals, both of which, and especially the former, present a great variety of forms. 

 The principal ornamental Corals found on the coast of Florida are as follows: Among the 

 (iorgonians occur the Sea-fans (Gorgonia Jhtbellu iw), and the Sea-feathers or Sea-plumes ((iurt/niiut 

 i',;i;>xn and (Inrijnn'ut xetoxti). Among the true stony corals are the Stag horn Corals (Mutlrepora 

 iitt. /<>! ifcrti, and palmtita); the Brain Corals (Meanilrina labyrinthiformi*, rliruxu, and 

 i, l>ii>l<>ria cerebriformis, and Maniclna arcolata); the Fungus Corals (Agarieia iif/m-ii-itix 

 and Mi/irilinni frnyilr); the Star Corals (Orbicella annularix and carernona), and many others 

 without eouiinon names, such as the Oculina diffuxa and Ixophyllia (liptuicea. ( nly a single speciea 

 of Ilulroid <'oral is commonly seen in show collections ; it is the so-called Finger < 'or.il or Sea 

 (linger lMilli']>(>rn nU-icnrnix), the latter common name having reference to the smarting sensation 

 which it imparts to the skin, on handling, soon after it is taken from the water. .Many foreign 

 species of Corals, belonging to the above groups, are often to be seen in the natural history stores; 

 they come mainly from the West Indies and the Pacific Ocean. Neither the precious Coral 

 (Coralliiim rubrum) nor any other species approaching it in value to the trade occurs in American 

 waters, but large quantities of the former are imported annually from Europe for making into 



jewelry. 



TOE JELLY-FISHES. 



The Jelly-fishes, Sun-fishes, or Medusas, which are well known to the sea-coast inhabitants as 

 transparent and delicate floating animals, most abundant in the summer months, are, at times, a 

 source of gn at annoyance to the net fishermen. These watery creatures, whose bodies contain only 

 a \ery small percentage of solid matter, vary greatly in shape, and belong to several orders of the 

 Ceelenterata. They have often been described and figured in popular books on natural history, to 

 \\liich the reader is referred for details concerning their structure and habits. The commoner 

 .species found on the New England coast are referred to as follows by Prof. A. E. Verrill. 1 



" A fine, large specimen of the beautiful Jelly-fish Tima formoaa has been sent me l>y Mr. V. 

 N. Edwards, who captured it at Wood's Holl, April 30. He states that the same species was very 



1 Vineyard Sound Report, p. 449, 1871-'72. 



