ZOANTH'ARIA. 
159 
other of the ridges with separate yalleys ; the polypier, which is cal- 
careous, being fixed, simple, and inversely conical when young, and 
globular when old. The animals have each a distinct mouth, and 
lateral series of short tentacula ; they are contained in shallow cells, 
Meeting at the base, and forming by their union long and tortuous 
hollows. Meandrina cerehnformis (Fig. 71), so called from its re- 
semblance to the folds of the brain, is a native of the American Seas. 
The Fungia, so called by Lamarck from their resemblance to the 
Fig. 12. Fungia ecbinata (Milne Edwards). 
Vegetable Fungi, are too remarkable in their appearance to be passed 
° Ver in silence. The major part of the species only occur in recent 
geological strata. Nevertheless some of the species were very nume- 
r °us i n the Cretaceous period, and even find representatives in the 
^durian period ; it is this group in which Madrepores of great size 
are found. 
The family, as we have alre. dy said, take their names from their 
^PPosed resemblance to the Mushroom. “But,” says Peyssonnel, 
there is this difference between terrestrial and marine mushrooms— 
