342 J. D. Dana on Zosphytes. 
knowledge of nature, proposed, in 1837, a brief outline of a 
classification, which as far as detailed, exceeded those preceding 
it, in philosophical character. The Hydroidea, (‘“ Sertulari- 
ens,”’) the Actinaria, (‘‘ Zoanthaires,”) and the Alcyonaria, (‘ Al- 
cyoniens,”’) are laid down as the d divisions, and without the 
striking violations of affinities which appear in Blainville’s order 
Polypiaria. We only observe that the Favosites are separat 
from the Madreporacea, with which group they were placed 
by Ehrenberg, and where they beyond doubt belong. 
These are the principal authors since Lamarck, who have un- 
dertaken a general arrangement of the class of Zoophytes. The 
“Stony Corals” have quite recently been arranged mostly from 
the corals alone by Mr. J. E. Gray, of London.* We may ex- 
press the belief, without entering into any criticisms on his clas- 
sification, that with a more extended study of the animals and 
their corals, he would not have separated the Millepore and He- 
liopore so widely from the Pocillopore ; the Stylastride from 
the Sz e;t ontipore from a part of Lamarck’s Po- 
rites; the Fungie from the Pavonie: nor united into a single 
group the Pavonia and many Astre@; nor the Fungiea, F'la- 
bella, and Meandrine :—in the last case giving an unreal impor- 
tance to the oblong shape of the Flabella, and implying a relation 
which is wholly without foundation between the oblong cell of 
the Meandrinz, Flabella, and Fungi, for in the first, the form 
arises from budding, in the second, it is the shape of the polyp’s 
disk, and in the third, the cell is only a depression at the 
of the disk, and the form has not even generic importance. 
Before giving a general view of the classification of Zoophytes, 
to which the writer has been led by the study of coral animals,t 
the importance of different characters as a basis of classification 
may be briefly considered. 
Owing to the simplicity of polyps, there are few organs oF 
functions to afford distinctive characters. They are as follows: 
he digestive system; II. The ovarian; IL]. The modes of 
budding and growth; IV. The tentacles “and general character 
of the exterior; V. The secretion of coral and its nature. - 
I. The Digestive System.—In this system the stomach varies 
(1) in length as compared with the internal or visceral cavity 
* An outline of an Arrangement of Stony Corals, by J. E. Gray, F. R. S., &e- 
Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ne 120, Feb. 1847 * 
t As it may be o o those interested in the department of Zoo- 
genus, have been y 
and East Indies, and these figures will appear along with others of different corals 
w animals were not obtained, in the forthcoming Atlas to accompany the ier 
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