14 



VERRILL ON THE POLYPS OF THE 



fusion, we have endeavored to use in each case that name which was first definitely 

 applied to any part, although in some cases it has been found necessary to restrict the 

 meaning somewhat, as in the instance above mentioned. 



The sub-order Actinaria of Dana, if we exclude the Lucernaridce, C/jathophyUidw, -and 

 Favositidw, which have been shown by Prof. Agassiz to belong to the class of Acalephs, 

 corresponds to the order as here limited. The order Zoantharia of Milne-Edwards, 

 after removing, in the same way, the Tdbulata and Rugosa to the Acalephs, is also equiv- 

 alent to the present group. 



The name Zoantharia (Zoantha) was first applied to this division, with nearly the 

 same limits as at present, by Blainville in 1830. 1 



Milne-Edwards has divided the order into three principal groups or sub-orders. 



I. Actinaria, corresponding nearly to the family Actinidm Dana. 



II. Antipatharia, equivalent to Antipathacece Dana, 



III. Madreporaria, including Madreporacece, Caryophyllacece, and part of Astreacece of 

 Dana. 



The first two of these divisions we adopt almost without change, but it seems neces- 

 sary to divide the Madreporaria into three equivalent groups, which shall rank as sub- 

 orders equal in value to the others, as Prof. Agassiz suggested in his lectures several 

 years ago. These groups will stand as follows, viz : I. Fungaria, or Fungid^e, em- 

 bracing the Fungidm of Milne-Edwards, together with Merulina and Fchinopora ; II. As- 

 trearia, or Astreid.e, including the Astreidce and Ocidinidce of Milne-Edwards, and per- 

 haps also CaryophylMdce, ; III. Madreporaria, equivalent to the Madreporarice, perforata? of 

 Milne-Edwards, and including Madreporidce, Gemmiporidce, Eupsammidce, and Poritidce as 

 families. 



Of these sub-orders, Actinaria, Antipatharia, and Astrcaria are represented on this coast. 



Sub-order I. Actinaria. 



This group as restricted by Milne-Edwards comprises only a small part of the forms 

 included by Dana under the same name, for in the latter case it corresponds nearly 

 to the entire order Zoantharia, as now limited ; it seems, however, entirely unnecessary 

 to introduce any other name for the present division. 



This sub-order is peculiar in having the muscular system highly developed in nearly 

 all parts of the body, but more particularly in the walls, which are therefore more or 

 less soft and contractile throughout their whole extent and never deposit within their 

 substance solid calcareous corals. The basal or abactinal region is also generally mus- 

 cular and so specialized as to be used in locomotion. The tentacles vary from twelve 

 to many hundred, in the different genera, but are usually numerous. The species are 

 mostly simple, but a few bud from basal expansions or stolons, and others, which are 

 naturally simple, may do so abnormally, like several Actinince. 



A large number of groups are embraced in this division, which have been variously 

 considered as families, sub-families, sections, or genera, by different authors ; but with the 

 imperfect knowledge existing at the present time in regard to the details of their anat- 

 omy, it is scarcely possible to assign true limits or rank to all these various groups, 

 although some of them seem to be well-marked families. For the present the following 

 seems to me the most natural arrangement of the families : Myniadenle ; Thalassianthike ; 



1 Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles, Zoophytes. 



