66 



THE UNIVERSE, 



marine or fluviatile plants, the floivers and fruits oftvhich 

 are generally unhiovm.'" 



For a moment, but alas only for a moment, the opinion 

 of the French botanist seemed to be confirmed by the 

 most strict observation. In the eighteenth century Count 

 Marsigli announced to the scientific Avorld that he had 





jhtJ-' 





'^0. Coriil — CarijophiVla ramea. 



discovered the flowers of the coral, and that consequently 

 its vegetable nature could no longer be called in question. 

 By placing branches of this polypoid in sea-water, imme- 

 diately after they had been fished up, the Italian naturalist 

 saw the kind of buds which cover their surface, open like 



