INTRODUCTION. 
fo aE general form of most of the Zoophytes 
in the British seas so exactly resembles 
s plants, that it cannot be a matter of 
'prise that they were formerly thought to be 
J*» ne vegetables. Even at the present time, 
i ( ] ' etl ^ ie ' r natures are so well understood, the 
t i of vegetability is always associated with 
v . e 'i’ appearances; and to a person not pre- 
°Usly acquainted with the subject, the calling 
Co ei » animals would be revolutionizing all pre- 
tj Solved opinions ; yet animals they unques- 
^]Uably are. The first person who distinctly 
P e '° c ated this view of the question was 
tjj^sonnel ; his communications, however, to 
w Academy of Paris were received with so 
the 1 distrust, that the Society never thought 
^ worthy a place in their Transactions ; 
tier ** eauraui ’> who read them, even deemed it 
W e8Sary t0 concea l die author’s name to shield 
s Ucl that ridicule and contempt which 
tj,, | opinions were thought likely to create.* 
L^ 1 ' suc h circumstances, Peyssonnel’s views 
foj.g, 0v a long time neglected, and were finally 
r pr| I ° i^ 11 - After a considerable lapse of time, 
^^dybrought back the attention of natura- 
* 
X 727 Conin) unicat.ed his views to the French Academy 
^ 5 Plea ! , antl li ‘ey lay neglected till 1750, when, highly 
Sa ctj 0l . set \, that body, he published them in the Tran- 
s °f the Royal Society. — Traite du Corail. 
