New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-10-28
THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

Hydro'do. ............lH ydrs-hkej
H.AcsLErHE. .(Nettle .sin)
l. SpAoRiph,ra .........l s. phon bearing
D'feoPhere .,......... Disc beanng)
j. Cienophera. Having the fms Of crab.l
.EcHiSoDERNsrs... .lskin with spines)
l. Asisro17de. ...........t stsr-like)
2 Eet,nids ............. (Ses eggsl
2. H,lottrrid1 ........... (Worm-lke1
The Cacareous Deposits Of the Polyp. Why the Polyp.
cannot be considered higher than the Aeaephs be
Molrsca-thslI great number. - eeapiiuiafen Of
the Structural Cbsrsctersties Of the Rsdisia Entire
ly different arrangement Of Organs in the Molluscs
softness VI the Moosca. Contraetibilty Nervou.
system .Alimentary Cavity becomes complicated.
ibs Of ciseaIs,iop apa rost9n o.
Of the BioOd-vessels Theory the Forma-
ton the Blood and Cireulstory Apparstss. subdivi-
Of the Mousca The Acephalx Character MS
tics Of thu. Class Mode Of sseeraining the Type to
which Fossil Shells belong
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: Since the delivery OF
my last lecture have received several letters AK
ing questions relative to the structure of the radiata
which shall be happy to answer as far as 10 my
power.
els the carbonate Of lime which forms the coral forms.
on seceted BY the poyps from the food upon which they
subsis in way similar to the bones Of other animals
Are the polyps grade higher than the acalephe
nasinuch have IN them the first exhibition Of bony
structure which appears perfectly the echnoder.
mats the next higher srsder'
These questions relate to one point-What is the
proper value Of the hard calcareous matter which
is secreted in the poypil This calcareous matter
has not been long investigated In fact the first
correct work on this subject is to be found in the
volume alluded TO, forming part Of the Narrative
OF the Exploring Expedition. In that beautiful
work OF MIR. Dana we have for the first time the
results Of accurate and patient nvesg alton of this
subject He showed what was not known before
or what at all events was not understood, that the
limestone portions Of the polypi form portion Of
the animal and not mere excretory matter, similar
to shell. They belong TO the body of the animal,
and are not a deposit Of the external parts of it ;
and in this respect they really altogether diff
ferent from the shells OF the mollusca which are
secreted within the skin.
To explain fully this difference let me enter into
some details relative 10 the structure of the skin
The skin ia animals is composed OF three layers
live cut through the skin into the body OF any ami
m al, we find first a superficial layer composed of
cells very readily seen Under that is a network
of vessels and nerves the latter giving 10 the skin
its sensitiveness-the sensitive portion of the skin
Then we have third layer tissue of threads in
tricately interviewer in all directions, forming the
protective layer. These three different portions
have different functions.
The external layer Is constantly reproduced by
blood vessels which deposit a liquid in the vessels
already formed and from which the new vessels
are constantly lOrmtu. w men the bklU - cut we
sometimes see a transparent fluid escape from the
cells and accumulate on the surface and this lynn
phatic fluid as it is called is the medium OF the re-
production which s always going on. Now, In the
mouscs. the shell is formed in this layer by sue
cessive deposits OF limestone, into which | shall
not now enter as shall have occasion TO go farther
into these details by and by. But let me men
ton that between the upper or external coat of
skin, which il called sDfdermS, there are layers OF
limestone in that way by the secreting portions OF
the skin formed Of a network OF blood vessels, so
that the shell is formed OF calcareous matter form
ed within the skin itself Not so IN the poyps,
where the mass of the anmal-the walls OF the
body--secrete within the substance the calcareous
portions make here the outline of polyp, with
its tentacles here is the mouth, here the walls
Now within the walls in the mass OF the body 1t
self there little fragments of Limestone depos-
tied in irregular way, entirely uhconnected win
each other Inch separate In several, but Ia others
unite TO form porous mass and these calcareous
particles are sometimes formed in such quantities
as to form internal framework covered with the
soft parts OF the animal So you perceive that there
is not only in the position but aso IN the mode OF
deposition Of the limestone, great difference be
tween the polyps and the shells
Again this skeleton, or this frame OF solid parts
within the animal, cannot be considered as idehtl'
cal in different types The skeleton OF the verte-
brated animals is not only carbonate ohme built Is,
even chemically speaking, somewhat different. 1t
II
respect there is already difference but the differ
ence is still greater when We consider the general
arrangement and relative position OF the internal
skeleton OF these animals, and the external skele-
ton OF the shells or the internal skeleton oil the po
lyus In the poyps these solid parts do not protect
any essential organ. They within the walls Of
the animal but the soft surfaces OF these walls are
the parts which protect the intestine and form the
internal cavity while the bones themselves pro
tect the large cavities OF the higher animals, cir.
cumscribed to spaces IN which the brain and spinal
marrow are on one side aud the alimentary canal,
the heart and the lungs on the other side are con
tanned. So that these two systems are by no means
10 be regarded as identical They are Identical on
liz in one respect. Ii is true that these hard parts
protect the body in general but in an essential
point they are different inasmsch as they are
formed in different way, formed by different por-
tions of the animal and sustain different relations
10 the various internal systems OF organs.
Much remains to be done in the investigation OF
the corals themselves The proper organs OF Sc
erection Of those hard parts In them are not known.
Ii has not yet been ascertained In what way the
calcreous matter is secreted from the soft parts
There is then, here also an ample held Tor investl
cation. Unhappy, this investigation Will scarcely
be attempted on these shores as there is only, as
far AS know, a single species OF calcareous poypi
on the western shores of the Atlantic north OF the
Gulf of Mexico.
The other Observation-Disclosures the polyps
not higher than the acalepno lis answered py u
self Ii the calcareous parts Of the Polyps have
not the same meaning the analogous parts OF
other types the existence OF such hard skeleton
will of course not be test for the degree OF their
orsanization. And again: We have among
polyps themselves, some with and others without
hard parts, and even the great amount OF calcs
rcous matter which is deposited in many OF them
will never be sufficient reason to consider the
polyps in any way higher than the acalephs, as
the almentsry cavity Is simple sac In polyps
while It is a brsnched cavity IN acalePhs, perform
ing st the same time the functions OF digestive
tube and circulstory organs.
We now enter into another field OF the animal
kingdom--iuto the study Of the Nolssca.
These animals are very numerous. The numb er
of species which have been collected at this time
including those only which are provided with shells
is perhaps six thousand perhaps even as high as
seven thousand; and We may suppose that the
whole number existing now, will not fall shsrt OF ten
or twelve thousand, If We include the soft, naked
species as well a. those protected by bard csloa
reous shell The number OF species which have
existed in former ages-in geological times-whose
remains We find in fossil state IN the successive
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