400 OoRNULAKIA.— — KADIATA. H iclianthoiua. 
the growth of the mass — such are the Gorgonias. 
When the common mass is of alow, rounded shape, the 
spicula in the substance of the skin are strong enough 
to support the mass — such we see to be the case in the 
Alcyoniuns, or Sea-fingers {Alcyoiiidw). 
Family— CORNULAEIA. 
The family Cornulariidce, which has a horny external 
skin like that possessed by the genus Tuhularia, is 
represented in Plate 1, fig. 1, by the pretty species, 
Cornidaria (rugosa) rosea. 
Family — GORGONIID.® {Gorgonias). 
In the Gorgonias or Bark-bearing Corals, the polype 
mass is attached by a root, and is formed like a small 
tree or shrub. Some of theGorgoniae are very handsome, 
much branched and reticulated. These species are com- 
monly called “Venus’ fans.” In others the mass is not 
much branched; but the species are peculiar for having 
the axis quite black and very hard, and are well known 
by the common name of “ Black Coral” {Antipathes). 
These were formerly much esteemed for their supposed 
magical and medicinal qualities, but are now only used 
for making riding whips and whisks, &c. The family 
is represented in Plate 1, fig. 9, by the exotic species 
Gorgonia palida. 
Family — TUBIPORID.3S (or Organ Corals). 
The animals belonging to this family have at first a 
tough skin similar to those of the last, which, however, 
becomes in time so hardened by the continued deposi- 
tion of calcareous matter within its substance, as to 
assume the consistence of a hard coral. The animals 
live in groups side by side, and the shelly tubes formed 
b}' them give the appearance of tlie pipes of an organ ; 
hence the English name for the family. These tubes 
are of a vivid red, and tlie animals being bright green, 
the mass forms a beautiful object when alive. The 
family is represented in Plate 1, figs. 2-4, by the 
species Tubipura musica. 
Family — CORALLIIDiE {2'he Calcareous Corals). 
In this family a larger quantity of calcareous matter 
is deposited along with the horny matter, and this 
forms a stone-like axis, instead of a horny one, as in 
Gorgonia. 
Genl’s Corallium. — This genus is the type of the 
family. To it belongs the celebrated red coral of com- 
merce, Corallium rnbrum, a native of the Mediterranean, 
and represented in Plato 1, fig. 6 — Isis nobilis. This 
coral, so much admired for its fine red colour, and the 
high polish of which it is susceptible, is the article so 
much used for making beads and other trinkets. It 
forms a very profitable trade in the Mediterranean, and 
is procured by dredging and diving, the fishery thus 
giving employment to numbers of peojtle. 
Family — HYALONEMID.® (T/ie Glass-rope 
Corals). 
In this family (consisting of only one genus and a 
single species) the axis is composed of a bundle of thin 
transparent fibres, looking exactly like a rope of spun 
glass. These fibres are formed of nearly pure flint, 
and are hard enough to scratch glass. This axis is 
covered with a polypiferous crust as in Gorgonia. The 
end of the axis is lodged in a species of sponge. Fine 
specimens of the Hyalonema {mirabile ?) from Japan 
may be seen in the British Museum. 
Family — PENNATULIDAE (or Sea-pens). 
This family contains species which have the polype 
mass free, floating in the sea, or having the naked part 
of the stem sunk into the sand or mud on the coast. 
Genus Pennatula. — This genus contains those 
species which float free, and which are well known 
from their resemblance to a pen, by the name of “ Sea- 
pens.” They have only a single axis, which pervades 
their central stem, and this, which is called the shaft, 
is subcylindrical. The animals come out from the 
upper part of the side branches which emanate from 
this shaft, and which correspond with the plume of 
the pen. These branches or plumes are twice pinnate. 
This family is represented in Plate 1, fig. 12, by a 
species belonging to the genus Renilla {R. arnericana), 
the polype mass of which is fleshy, with a kidney-shaped 
expanded head, the animals coming out on the broad 
flat sides. 
Genus Vikgularia. — This genus contains some of 
the species which have the base of the stem sunk in 
the sand. A beautiful species, the V. mirabilis, occurs 
on our own coasts, the stem or polype mass being 
linear, elongate, like a rod or a quill deprived of its 
feathers, the side branches being very small. 
Order III.— ANTHOZOA PIELIANTIIOIDA 
{Zoanthoid Polypes). 
The Zoanthoid polypes have the Polypes single, free, oi' 
permanently fixed. They are fleshy, either naked or 
encrusted with a calcareous polypidom, the upper sur- 
face being crossed with radiating lamellae. The mouth 
of these Polypes is encircled with tubulous tentacula, 
which, being disposed in regular circles and tinged with 
various colours, represent not unaptly the petals of 
some flowers. Their stomach is membnnous and fur- 
nished with more or less numerous longitudinal folds. 
They have no intestine, and no visible exit from the 
stomach, except the mouth, by which the undigested 
remains of the food are ejected, always enveloped in a 
large quantity of a clear glairy fluid. They are ovipar- 
ous, the ovaries being internal. 
This order contains an immense number of species, 
some of which are well known to our readers by the 
familiar name of Actinia’, and others by the not less 
well known term of Madrepores and Corals. 
