The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-23


certainly that the sensation Of light is percepdble
them. M a.
In some Of the polyps have observed dark specks
corresponding IN number with the tentaces WE
may be allowed conjecture that the specks ar,
eyes. and If there can be doubt that there arr
nerves. In fact, in the star-fsh, the nerves hav,
been They have been traced up to these color
ed specks.
This Is about all that can be said Of the structur,
of the polyps Their external form is very various
! will mention some Of them in oriersto show tba
variety OF types among them All those (which hay,
numerous tentaces and the internal cavities witt
branches of eggs hanging from the walls of the low
er cavity, have been named sea-anemones. Some
are entirely soft. Others have inside hard frame
work formed Of limestone-of carbonate Of lime
and in this framework one can see the same radia
ted appearance which we can see in the type which
is entirely soft. 't,a @ ia 4
You see in this diagram an illustration Of the re-
marks just now made. 1t Is not correct to regard
these corals as the shells In which these annalf
cover themselves. The hard parts are found within
the ANIMAL and form portion of their interns strc-
ture. There are great many Of them In which the
hard parts are deposited Within like network. Here
the lecturer pointed to diagrams in ilustration.l
The polyps do not all multiply only by eggs though all
will lay eggs and multiply In thai manner Some produce
buds their surface, and these buds will grow aud remain
attached the main body and in that nannerthe buds will
become branched Perhaps little poyp attached to rock
assumes such form, diagram i aer certain time WI
small bud, which enlarges the FORM and grows
and pushes out its enaces In the the frs
indy dtal Thus from this branch new Individual will
be brned and remain connected with the parent stem Ii
that manner have compound animals and that is III,
with the Of corals where great many ndivdu
ais united IN and the stem, while others
main single. Nj
The importance Of these animals is very great from ht
well known coral reefs Besides these animals act in
very extensive manner in modifying the shades OF the
depth They contribute In the formation of islands, and ID
charging continents, by increasing the amount OF hard sub
stances deposited tho surface of the EARTH We know
from geological researches, that whole mountain ran gel
have been formed by the agency Of this minute animal B
this is not the place which to speak OF this geological phe
noenon allude 10 II at present only for the purpose
showing the Importance the functions performed by thin
little animal in nature. There polyps which pro
ure eggs and buds but is only the latter which
can in their turn produce eggs great many Of the ami
mails classified in the asoria only eggs polyps ant
other lower animals swimming freely by the agency ofhe
vbratory ea which covers the surface Of the ggshell
The seeis OF plants IN the way covered by ella
and moving freely in the water, also often classed witt
The ifsor There plants called ooerra divided b,
Partitions in the which have described and tn
seeds with vibratory cia moving freely In waite
that they cannot be distinguished from the lower animals
structure is matter Of very great difficulty II we eouli
only ascertain whether they have stomach their position
among organized beings would be very easily fixed Br
they minute that the highest microscopic power
dscloses only these vibrtory ella and there ANIMAL
which have possess stomach very close
" resembling them IN external appearance, il very diff
cult indeed to determine whether they belong the ANNA
or vegetable kingdom. &aI tHpa Ns' la.t6
locomotion, SUCH is not distinctive character Of ami
NAL life II is only the wlul motion under the action o
nerves which Is characteristic OF the animal kingdom Bu
vbraory notion produced by these minute hairs covering
the surface Of minute animals and plants Is common
ganzed beings general and Is found well in the vege
liable as in the animal kingdom. wa
Polypa divided into Two great families il
which the eggs arranged in lunches Internally and ny
droda, which have tentacles In the III,
Others in which the egg hang In lunches from
the lower end of the upper cavity in graceful FORMS ant
sometimes beautifully colored. aG a I'll a4q
The hour fur advanced that cannot enter Into
the consideration Of other classes OF radiaed animals
shall take them up In my next lecture"
The Professor listened to throughout with the great
est attention His is pleasing In the extreme liz
is excellent nstructor--lucid, PRACTICAL and phn Pro
lessor Gilman and his associates deserve great credit fol
their efforts in obtaining this rich for all who take az
interest in natural history The public evidently appreciate
these efforts II the audience they have been In
creasng much larger hall must be obtained for Professor
Agassz. iGi.'E3s NySE " tt't z, tst'.' y