180 THE OCEAN WORLD, 
Coral, although it differs widely in structure from the precious Coral, 
is found in the Mediterranean and also in the tropical seas. In 
2, Fig. 62, we see a portion of a branch magnified, so that the reader 
may be able to appreciate the form of the polyp cells, 
The species formerly referred to in this genus as Oculina fiabellt- 
formis now bears the name of Stylaster flabelliformis, which is 
represented in Fig. 63, will give an excellent idea of these arborescent 
madrepores. The polypidom is in the form of a fan, with many very 
unequal branches ; the larger branches are smooth, the middle-sized 
are covered with small points. This fine madrepore is found in the 
Fig. 64,—Astreopora punctifera (Lamarck). 
seas which surround the Isle of Bourbon and the Mauritius, fine 
examples of which are to be seen in almost all large public museums. 
How diversified are the forms of aquatic life! ‘ Nature revels in 
these diversities,” to paraphrase the saying of one of the ancient 
kings of France. Here are animals, the skeletons of which might 
have been designed by a geometrician. They are called Star Corals 
(Astrea). Their resemblance to a perfectly regular star was tov 
striking to escape the observation of the naturalist ; but the organisa- 
tion of these creatures of the ocean is far from being rigorously 
regular, for Nature rarely employs perfectly straight lines, giving an 
evident preference to circles and waving lines. 
The Astveid@ form an immense section of the aporous Madre- 
