Dr. MantelFs Observations on Ventriculites. 
435 
XLV. — Reply to Mr. Smith’s Remarks on Dr. Mantell’s 
Account of the Ventriculites. 
To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 
Gentlemen_, 
It is with great reluctance that I intrude on your indulgence 
and request permission to notice some of Mr. Smith’s animad- 
versions on my figures and descriptions of the chalk zoophytes 
which I first distinguished by the name ‘‘ Ventriculites,” in a 
memoir published in the ‘ Linnsean Transactions ’ in 1815 ; 
although I ought perhaps to consider myself as hors de combat, 
since Mr. Smith concludes his memoir by the assertion, that 
the field was entirely untrodden, and the task a new one the 
nature of those zoophytes being totally unknown ” till he un- 
dertook to elucidate the subject ! ! 
I should not presume to occupy your pages by a lengthened 
comment on Mr. Smith’s communications, even could I fully 
comprehend the author’s meaning, which in many instances 1 
am unable to do, for his genius has removed a subject, which I 
once imagined to be simple and easily interpreted, far above my 
feeble capacity. But I feel that it would be uncourteous to the 
readers of my works, who indulgently give me credit for truth- 
fulness and accuracy of observation, were I to pass wholly unno- 
ticed Mr. Smith’s impeachment of my scientific veracity. I shall 
therefore content myself with affirming, that notwithstanding 
all the remarks Mr. Smith has inscribed on your pages, I see 
no reason whatever to alter a single word in the following de- 
scription of the zoophytes which 1 designated Ventriculites, ex- 
tracted from my ^ Medals of Creation :’ — 
“ The original form of the Ventriculite was that of a funnel, or 
hollow inverted cone, terminating in a point at the base, whence 
numerous fibres proceed, and by which the zoophyte was attached 
to other bodies. The outer integument was reticulated — that is, 
disposed in meshes like network — and the inner surface was studded 
over with regular openings, the orifices of tubular cells, each of which 
was probably occupied by a polype. The substance of the polypa- 
rium or framework of this aggregation of animalcules appears to 
have been analogous to that of the soft Alcyonia, and to have pos- 
sessed a common irritability, and been able to contract and expand. 
This opinion is based on the circumstance that some specimens occur 
in which the zoophyte is in the form of a nearly flat circular disc, 
and in others, in that of a subcylindrical pouch : in the former state, 
the outer reticulated structure is elongated, while in the latter it is con- 
tracted and corrugated. The polype-cells are cylindrical and very 
regular : the flints often present beautiful casts of them, which ap- 
pear like rows of minute pillars on the inner surface.” 
29* 
