168 
PROCEEDINGS OP THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
animals, while assimilated Silica is characteristic of plants 
Hence I consider that the presence of assimilated Silica is prima 
facie evidence of the vegetable nature of the organism in which 
it is found while the presence of assimilated lime is prima Jacie 
evidence of the animal nature of any organism in which it occurs. 
This consequence seems to flow from the relative functions of 
plants and animals in relation to vital force. The Plant 
absorbs the solar energy and converts it into vital force. The 
Animal takes that vitality, absorbs it, uses it, and destroys it. 
Ihe assimilation of Silica appears therefore to be a concomitant 
o the power to vitalize solar energy, while the animal not hav- 
ing that power is able to assimilate Lime only and not Silica. 
The questions of whether Sponges are animal or vegetable 
was tor a long time in debate — but of late years the opinion has 
een in favor of their animal nature. If the suggestion I have 
ventuied to put forward is considered to be well founded, the 
mot ern opinion will again be opened to question, and it may, after 
a be decided that sponges are protophytic and not protozoic. 
u at ail events Radiolaria and their allies must be regarded as 
ro ophytes while Foraminifera will still be classed as Protozoa. 
I am inclined to think that Radiolaria perform the 
iunctions of Plants in relation to vitality, and I would 
ur iei suggest that Radiolaria are the chief food of Forami- 
Plankton^r 'lir-ath 0 “ ^ ° aSe ° f the P ela 8 ic forms whether 
s n™ 0n t ^ s , sub i ect I may further suggest that the 
nron W- 1 ) ai , e merely lower forms of Annuloidea and do not 
SrS „ b n e n l0aS - t0 , Pro ^oa. Most, if not all of them are 
&c. 1 in a Ij 1 anim als and resemble Helminthozoa ( e . g. Flukes, 
recorded mv m™ 06 habits. I have on previous occasions 
and Radiolaria 1 ^* 011 j 1 **’ t j 16 yer y nu merous forms of Polycystina 
by Ehrenbere amT^tR 1111 ^ 61 ^ man y generic and specific names 
only. ren berg and others are really referable to a few species 
ON THE DISCOVERY OF CORALS IN THE 
harbour of port-of-spain. 
URINp IE By R ' J - Lechmere Guppy. 
8 e «p. 
D 
