Worms. K 



Vol IF. No. 4g, 



ZOO? Ö Y T E S. 



O nthe Io weft degree of the Animal creation 

 RarA the Polypuffes, which are alfo - called 

 Zoophytes, becaufe they form as it wer«, the 

 link between the animal and the vegetable 

 Creation. Many fpecies of thefe water- ani- 

 mals live in ftrong teguments which they never 

 quit. We are here made acquainted with 

 fome of them. 



pig. l. The magnificent Tubular 

 Coralline. 



[Tubularia magnifica) 



The Tubular -Coralline is a kind of ge- 

 latinous worm found in the fea as well as in 

 rivers. It is provided with feathered arms and 

 refts with its lower end in a horny tube. 



One of the largeft and molt beautiful fpe- 

 cies is the magnificent tubular coralline 

 which is reprefented in Fig. r. It is met with 

 in hollow rocks on different isles of the Weft- 

 Indies. The tubular indented body terminates 

 in a great quantity of red and white fee- 

 lers or antennae which the worm , when all 

 around him is quiet , extends like a ftarlike 

 flower; but at the- le aft danger it retracts its 

 antennated tuft from above and draws back 

 into its rock. 



Fig. 2. The Dead »Man s hand. 



(Alcyoniiim digitatimi) 

 The dead man's hand or dead m ah* s toe 



is a foft fpongy or corklike body whofe furfacé 

 is full of little openings , through whjch the 

 polypuffes that inhabit it, come forth. The 

 here reprefented fpecies which is found on the 

 coafts of England , derives its name from the 

 likenefs it has with a man's finger or toe^ 

 They are found upon different objects as for 

 inftance that of the picture is refting upon an 

 Oyfter. Their reddish -grey furface is covered 

 with little octagonal ftars, as it appears very 

 diftinctly in (b) which is drawn after an en- 

 larged fcale ; from thefe ftar-like openings the 

 polypuffes iffue. They have eight arms (c) 

 which on both fides are feathered or provided 

 with fhort fibres. 



Fig. 3. The Rugged Coralline. 



(Sertularia /crup of a) 



These Corallines confift of horny or ftony 

 husks which are knotted like branches and alfo 

 inhabited by polypuffes. They confritute a 

 very numerous race. The fpecies which is 

 reprefented in its natural fize in Fig. 3. might 

 at the firft look very eafily be taken for a. little 

 tender plant, but when enlarged or looked at 

 with a microscope the whittifh, ftony, and 

 knotted husk appears. It is very fragile and 

 divided in its infide into different fmali cells 

 which ferve for habitation to a kind of fmall 

 polypuffes that come out through the openings 

 of the flat fides. 



