66 Natural History of British Zoophytes. 
ceived a strong corroboration of their opinion from the researches of 
Count Marsigli, who, having detected the existence of polypes in co- 
ral and madrepore, had, under the influence of the fashionable theory, 
described them as being literally their blossoms or flowers.* Peys- 
sonnel, therefore, had to contend not only against the prejudices of 
the vulgar based on appearances which spoke direct to the outward 
sense, but against the actual observations of a naturalist of acknow- 
ledged merit ; and the observations of Peyssonnel, although nume- 
rous and unequivocal, were yet mixed up with so much that was 
fanciful or erroneous, that it is not wonderful his opinion was re- 
ceived with coldness and suspicion. Reaumur, to whom Peyssonners 
communication was intrusted, even concealed the name of the au- 
thor when he laid it before the Academy, with the benevolent in- 
tention doubtless of shielding him from the scorn and ridicule that 
might possibly be the lot of one who had ventured to contradict the 
observations of an Italian Count, and to oppose the established be- 
lief ;t and he immediately afterwards read, before the same aca- 
demicians, an essay of his own, in which he opposed the theory of 
Peyssonnel with numerous objections, and attempted to explain the 
growth of coral in accordance to the admitted principles of vege- 
table physiology 4 
The memoir in which Peyssonnel originally proposed his doctrine 
does not appear to have 1seen published : the only account I have 
seen of it is contained in the essay of Reaumur just alluded to. He 
maintained that what Marsigli had described as the blossoms of co- 
ral, were true animals or insects analogous to the Actiniae or sea- 
anemones ; that the coral was secreted in a fluid form by the inha- 
bitant Actiniae, and became afterwards fixed, hard, and changed into 
stone ; and that all other stony sea-plants, and even sponges, are 
* " Ce fut une decouverte qui fit grand bruit dans le moride naturaliste, que 
celle des fleurs du corail." Reaumur Marsigli's work was published in 1711. 
His name is sometimes written Marsilli For an account of his works see Hal- 
ler, Bib. Bot. i. 630. 
f " L'estime que j'ai pour M. Peyssonnel me fit meme eviter de la nommer 
pourl'auteur d'unsentiment quine pouvoit manquer de paroitre trop hasarde." 
Reaumur. 
\ Observations sur la formation du corail, et des autres productions appellees 
Plantes pierreuses. Par M. de Reaumur " II prend pour une Plante 1'ecorce 
grossiere et sensible du corail, tres-distincte de ce qvje nous appellons corail, et 
deplus une autreecorce beaucoup plus fine, et que les yeuxne distinguerit point 
de la vraye substance coralline qu'elle revet ; et tout le reste du corail, presque 
toute la substance coralline n'est qu'une pierre sans organisation." Hist, de 
1'Acad. Roy. des Sc. 1727. p. 51. and more particularly his own memoir in the 
same vol. p. 380 
