26 EVOLUTION OF "LIFE 
ZOOPHYTA OR CCOELENTERATA. 
The word Zoophyte means Plant-Animal,—the group 
taking its name from the striking resemblances that many 
of its representatives bear to plants; as, for example, in the 
stationary character, as seen in the coral-builders, in the 
flowery appearance of the Anemones, in the budding or 
treelike growth of the Tubularian and Sertularian families, 
The word Coelenterata means hollow intestine. The 
essential character of the animals belonging to this group 
consists in their radial form and the absence of separate 
organs for carrying on the functions of digestion, nutrition, 
circulation,and respiration,—these functions being combined 
in one system, known as the “gastro-vascular,” the digestive 
cavity being at the same time the general cavity of the body. 
The Zoophyta divide pretty naturally into two classes. In 
the first there is no distinct stomach, as seen in the Hydroid 
jelly-fish and the fresh-water Hydra; in the second, the 
. walls of the body have risen up, prolonging parts of the 
general cavity of the body into arms (tentacles), thereby 
cutting off parts of the cavity; the remaining portion not 
so affected contains a rudimentary stomach. This structure 
جم 
is seen in the Anemones, or Sea-flowers, etc. 
ACTINOZOA. 
The common Anemones (Fig. 14), Sea-flowers, or Ac- 
tinize, are found attached to the under surface of stones 
and rocks, and principally hanging from those large rocks 
that are not easily if ever moved by storms. When 
closed they might be mistaken for some dead matter ad- 
hering to the rocks, but when expanded they resemble a 
beautiful kind of flower. They are variously colored, : nd 
present, when found in profusion, the appearance of a 
flower-bed. The Anemone is a bag attached by its base, 
