[Illustration: FIG. 17.--VENUS’ FLOWER-BASKET (_Euplectella imperialis_ and _E. aspergillum_). (One-sixth natural size.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 18.--BRAIN-CORAL. (_Meandrina cerebriformis_).]
Nearly the whole of the remainder of the gallery is given up to Corals. In life these organisms display an immense variety of form and colour, sometimes presenting a marvellous resemblance to vegetable growths; but the part exhibited in the gallery is merely the dried, hard, horny, or stony basis or supporting skeleton, either of isolated individuals, or of colonies. Corals are allied to the well-known Sea-anemones of the British and other coasts; the combined skeletons of myriads of these animals form the coral-reefs which constitute the bases of thousands of islands in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Among the larger reef-making species are the Brain-Corals (_Meandrina_), one of which is shown in figure 18. Near the west end of the gallery is placed a magnificent specimen of the Black Coral of the Mediterranean (_Gerardia savalia_), obtained off the coast of the island of Eubœa in the Ægean Sea. The drawing in the case shows a magnified view of the “animals” or polyps of this species as they appear in life. In case 13 are specimens and drawings of the Red Coral (_Corallium rubrum_), so largely used for ornamental purposes, and also of the crimson Organ-pipe Coral (_Tubipora musica_). Arranged on shelves on the south wall of the western end of this gallery is a series of _Pennatulidæ_ (Sea-pens, Sea-rushes, or Sea-ropes) preserved in spirit. These Zoophytes live at the bottom of the sea, with their lower ends fixed in the sand and mud; the skeleton being never more than a straight internal rod in addition to innumerable microscopic spicules.
[Illustration: FIG. 19.--ROUGH SUNFISH (_Orthagoriscus mola_).]
Approached through the Coral-gallery, and running backwards at right angles with it, are several galleries containing other portions of the zoological collections.
I. The Fish-gallery is nearest to the central hall, and contains the exhibited portion of the collection of Fishes. The greater number of specimens, preserved in spirit, are, however, placed for safety in a detached building outside the Museum, where they are available for study under special regulations. The gallery contains mounted examples, models, and skeletons of many of the more remarkable members of the class.