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See Halcyon.

A group of soft-bodied Alcyonaria, of which Alcyonium is the type. See Illust. under Alcyonaria.

One of the orders of Anthozoa. It includes the Alcyonacea, Pennatulacea, and Gorgonacea.

The kingfishers.

Of or pertaining to the Alcyonaria.

A genus of fleshy Alcyonaria, its polyps somewhat resembling flowers with eight fringed rays. The term was also formerly used for certain species of sponges.

Like or pertaining to the Alcyonaria. -- n.

ncluding a limited number of species having omnivorous habits, as the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia. Amidst our arms as quiet you shall be As halcyons brooding on a winter sea. Dryden.

Halcyon; calm.

See Alcyonoid.

t form stony corals. Sometimes, in a wider sense, applied to all the Anthozoa, expert the Alcyonaria, whether forming corals or not.

A genus of perching birds, including the European kingfisher (Alcedo ispida). See Halcyon.

solar system together with all the stars in the Milky Way, to be revolving. A point near Alcyone in the Pleiades was supposed to possess characteristics of the position of such a body.

One of the principal divisions of Alcyonaria, including those forms which have a firm and usually branched axis, covered with a porous crust, or c

An East Indian stony coral now known to belong to the Alcyonaria; -- called also blue coral.

Any one of numerous species of Pennatula, Pteroides, and allied genera of Alcyonaria, having a featherlike form; a sea-pen. The zooids are situated along one edge of the side branches.

A division of alcyonoid corals, including the seapens and related kinds. They are able to move about by means of the hollow muscular peduncle, which also serves to support them upright in the mud. See Pennatula, and Illust. under Alcyonaria.

A hard chitinous or calcareous process or corpuscle, especially a spicule of the Alcyonaria.

The calcareous or hornlike coral forming the central stem or axis of most compound alcyonarians; -- called also foot secretion. See Illust. under Gorgoniacea, and Coenenchyma. -- Scler`o*ba"sic, a.

y found in the tissues of various invertebrate animals, especially in sponges and in most Alcyonaria.