PREFACE. 
The Coral Gallery, the contents of which are briefly described in 
the following pages, is a long narrow corridor situated between the 
Bird Gallery and the series of galleries on the north side of the 
building, being interrupted by three cross-passages between the 
galleries referred to. The collections exhibited in this gallery 
include not only the objects commonly recognised as Corals, but also 
other lower types of animal life scientifically known as Hydrozoa , 
P or if era and Protozoa , which include jelly-fish and their allies, 
sponges, and microscopic organisms such as Foraminifera and 
Radiolaria, which in the remote past have played an important 
part in the formation of the chalk and limestone rocks of the 
earth’s crust. In giving an account of such objects as these it is 
difficult to avoid the use of many scientific and technical terms, but 
an endeavour has been made to make the text as comprehensible as 
possible to the general public. Much care has been bestowed upon 
the selection and preparation of the numerous illustrations, many 
of which are entirely new. The part of the Guide referring 
to Protozoa, Porifera and Hydrozoa has been prepared by Mr. R. 
Kirkpatrick and the description of the Anthozoa by Mr. F. J. Bell. 
In conclusion, thanks are due to Dr. Gustav Fischer of Jena, to 
Messrs. F. Warne & Co., Messrs. Cassell & Co., Messrs. Macmillan 
& Co., Messrs. A. and C. Black, Messrs. J. and A. Churchill, the 
Royal and the Royal Microscopical Societies for kindly allowing the 
use of illustrations in various works published by them. 
E. Ray Lankester. 
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
An additional eight pages on the important subject of Sporozoa 
and certain allied organisms (including the parasites which cause 
Malaria and Sleeping Sickness) have been inserted between pages 
14 and 15, and have been numbered 14a — H ; also eight additional 
figures designated 10a — H have been added. 
E. Ray Lankester. 
