80 CORALS AND CORAL ISLANDS. 



solid corals attained, in some species, a diameter of several 

 feet. No doubt the colors, among the coral polyps and other 

 life of the ancient seas, were as brilliant as now exist. 



Nature's economist here puts the question — Why all this 

 beauty when there were no eyes to enjoy it % But beauty ex- 

 ists because, " in the beginning, " " the Spirit of God moved 

 upon the face of the waters ;" and man finds delight therein in- 

 asmuch as he bears the image of his Maker. 



A single recent species has been obtained by Mr. L. F. de 

 Pourtales, in dredging at a depth of 324 fathoms, near the 

 Florida reef, which may be a Cyathophylloid, although it has 

 been supposed that the species of the tribe have been extinct 

 since the middle of the Mesozoic era. It was half an inch 

 high and broad, and the polyp-cell had eight septa — a mul- 

 tiple of fovr, as in the true Cyathophylloids. The discoverer 

 has named it Ilaplophyllia paradoxa. But he observes that 

 it may after all be only an abnormal Actinoid. 



III. ALCYONOID POLYPS. 



The name Alcyonium, given to some of the species of this 

 group, is derived from Alcyone, the fabled daughter of Nep- 

 tune. It is sometimes written with an initial H, in conform- 

 ity with the aspirate of the Greek word; but Latin authors 

 usually omitted the H, and this has been good enough author- 

 ity for Linneeus and the majority of later writers. 



The Alcyonoids include some of the gayest and most deli- 

 cate of coral shrubs. Almost all are flexible, and wave with the 

 motion of the waters. They contribute but little to the mate- 

 rial of coral reefs, but add largely to the beauties of the coral 

 landscape. Not only are the polyps of handsome tints, but 

 the whole shrub is usually of a brilliant orange, yellow, scarlet, 



