a 
J. D. Dana on Zosphytes. 341 
the way with a discriminating study of the corals. Blainville 
availed himself of the observations of Quoy and Gaymard, be- 
sides the few investigations of older authors, and with great acu- 
men, made out an arrangement, which in its general features was 
highly natural. He divided Zoophytes, including the Actinie, 
into the groups Zoantharia, Polypiaria, and Zoophytaria ; and. 
if we strike out from Polypiaria a few species that belong with 
the first division, and others that are ne Aner we have the ero 
Rateies equivalent in importance to Se een Blainville 
was the first anthor who actually introduced coral zoophytes 
fairly into the animal kingdom by his mode of describing and 
arranging them. He did not call the department a branch of 
zoology, and then describe corals as if they were porous, stellige- 
rous stones, which is even now in many instances the case.* 
Still he speaks of the cells as SO Ais the polyps, which is 
the reverse of the fact. 
. Ehrenberg in 1834,+ after a more thorough. peceonmnanes with 
coral animals obtained by investigations in the Red & ea, made 
some important improvements in the minor subdivisions ; bit his 
grand divisions were unfortunate. He separated in many cases 
the attached fromm the unattached species, and again, the iar 
from the compound, and thus broke up the natural assem 
which Blainville had made out. Even the natural group ret 
onaria, (Blainville’s Zoophytaria,) is subdivided by him, and the 
parts widely separated. His system, notwithstanding some anom- 
exhibits great reach of mind and searching investigation. 
He removed correctly the Bryozoa from other Zoophytes, and 
first suggested -_ relation. of the Millepores and F'avosites to 
the Madreporac He pointed out the true nature of coral se- 
cretions, and dentaibed the mode of reproduction by spontaneous 
subdivision, which had not before been noticed. The modes of 
growth were also to a considerable extent described by him, and 
important use made of them, though not always correctly, 1 in the 
pletion of Zoophytes. 
Milne ship asc whose acquaintance with Zoophytes had been 
extended by a personal examination of many species, an and by a 
thorough ait of the labors of others, besides a comprehensive 
ee tat Sains ex 23S lla ane nite i le 
Shi f corals, Soran ogee sy ma of a op a those 
charactor he _ i belong to Soles stated, such as the gene- 
growth, &c ; an neh Separately whatever, not already 
cited may re at mention vith respect to the co 
' ay a KGnigl. 1. Akad. der Wissensch. zu Berlin, for 1882, pp. 225-438. 
