CORALLIFERI. 435 
are very numerous in fresh water, and are generally to small to be 
perceived without a microscope. They form bushes, arbuscles, 
plumes, &c. &c. *. 
PEDICELLARIA. 
The Pedicellariz are found between the spines of the Echini, and 
are considered by various authors as organs of these animals; most 
probably however they are Polypi, which there seek an asylum. 
They consist of a long slender stem, which terminates by a horn, 
furnished at its extremity with tentacula, sometimes filiform and 
sometimes foliaceous +. 
ORDER III. 
CORALLIFERI (a). 
The Coralliferi constitute that numerous suite of species which 
were long considered as marine plants, and of which the individuals 
are in fact united in great numbers to constitute compound animals, 
mostly fixed like plants, either forming a stem or simple expansions, 
by means of a solid internal substance. ‘The individual animals, 
more or less analogous to the Actinize or Hydre, are all connected 
by a common body, and are nourished in common, so that what is 
eaten by one goes to the nutrition of the general body, and of the 
other Polypi. Their volition is even in common, at least it is cer- 
tainly so in the free species, such as the Pennatule, which are seen 
swimming by the contractions of their stems, and the combined mo- 
tions of their Polypi. 
The name of Polypiers has been given to the common parts of 
these compound animals; they are always formed by deposition, and 
in layers like the ivory of teeth, but are sometimes on the surface, 
and sometimes in the interior of the compound animal. This dif- 
ference of position has given rise to the following families. 
* The only species I refer to this genus are those figured in the Encye., pl. 
XXIV and XXVI. They are closely united by strong affinities with certain species 
placed among the microscopical animals. 
+ Mill,, Zool. Dan., XVI, copied Encyc., LXYVI. 
{> (a) The Potyres A Potypiers of our author. Here is another instance of 
the many difiiculties we have had to encounter in the course of this work, and of the 
impropriety of the attempts to establish the use of French terms in the Sciences, now 
being made, notwithstanding the inconvenience, confusion, and error they are sure 
to produce. 
The term polypicr, for which we have no adequate word, has lately been coined to 
express the common part of these compound animals, or the substance we usually 
denominate Coral—Corallivum—and as it is an excretion, we have ventured to ren- 
der Polypes G Polypiers by Polypi coralliferi, and the term Polypiers by the word 
coral.—ENG. Ep. 
’ 
