ae 
é. 
Lhe Natural Hiftory of Jarnaica. 
_— : | 
Tab. 14. 
Fig. 1. 
Tab. 18. 
Fig. 1. 
Zab, 19. 
But the moft common varicty of thefe Submazine Plants comes from rhe 
Covferva Marina, and Froth of the Sca, which makes them, by being caft om 
them, and dried withthem, of avery Green, or dirty Yellow Colour. 
Several of this Tribe, and more than of others, have been in Europe, they 
being to be met with at che firft landing of Scafaring Men, and not growing 
in the inland parts, whither Sailers feldom go; add to tltis, chat they are for 
the moft part from their falter, harder, and drier Confiflence, eafilier kept 
from Corruption, and by their Beauty more tempting than other Vegetables; 
fothat the Cabinets of the Curious, Shops of Drugfters, Surgcons, Barbers, 
and Apothecaries have abounded with greater Varietics of this, than any 
other kind. 
The moft part of Corals themfelves having ftriated Lines, ‘and many 
of them flarry Pores, which are put by mott Authors for the Characte- 
riflitks of Pores, as diftinct from Corals ; I fhall not give thofe Corals I met 
with in Famaica, the names of Pores which feems to belong to molt, if not 
all of them to be found here; but only call them Coralia porof7, to diftine 
guifh them from the more folid. 
I fhall put the Corallines with the Fratices Marini, or Sea-Shrubs, which are 
made up of a horny, tough Matier, with a Coralline incruftation, becauié 
moft of them haye a Nerve or Thread running through them, which ala 
though the laft herein defcribed {tem to be quite deftitute of, yet becaule 
of its not being erect, and fmallnefs, it fhall be reckoncd by me a Coralline, 
For the name Spongie Spurie, 1 make ufe of it here to fignifie any fibrous, 
reticulated fpongy Body, growing in the Sea, and thrown up by the Waves, 
which notwithftanding it be very like in many things to a true Spunge, it is 
yet harder; fothat tis not eafily preffed, nor has much clafticity,neither doth 
dit fuck up Water as that docs, which are the marks of true Sponges. The 
Bodies would by fome be called Alcyonia., 
The way of Propagation of this whole Tribe, which lies much from our 
Sight or Obfervation, has been very obfcure, it feems to be different in the 
feveral Kinds of them, as to the harder ot {tory Plants, there is fome ac» 
count of their Propagationtin giving a Defcription of the Affroites, or flat 
Stone: there is likewife fomewhat of the growth of Corals, in the account 
of fome of thofe I found growing; and as to the Fci, or thofe of a fofter 
or herbaceous Confiftence, their Seed has been difcovered, (and ihewed me 
firft) by the Induftry of the Ingenious Herbaritt, Mr. Samuel Doody, who 
found on many of this Kind folid Tubercles, or rifings in fome Seafons, 
wherein were lodged feveral round Seeds, as big as Muftard-Seed, which, 
when Ripe, the outward Membrane of the Tubercle breaking, leaves the 
Seed to float up and down with the Waves. This Seed coming near Stones, 
or any folid Foundation, by means of a Mucilage it carries withit, ftickste 
them, and fhoots forth Ligule with Branchcs, and in time comes ro its Per- 
fetion and due Magnitude. 
1. Corallinm afperum candicans adulterinum. Cap. pl. Jam. prs J.B. 139. ¢.3% 
Raii hift. p62. Gypfum Coralloides Boct. de Boot. p.321- Muf. Swam. p. 19. Corale 
lium foffile exalbidum, pennam gallinaceam crafjum, ramulis alias pluribus, fepius 
bints alias amputatis. Luid. lith. Brit. p. 6. No. 92,93. Tab.3. No. 92. An Com 
vallii albi [pecies minima duas uncias lata, e Scopulogypfeo enata. Muf. Swam. p. 17? 
One Kind, or Variety of this, Zab.17. Fig. 1. was broad at Bafe, about 
two Inches, and about one quarter of an Inch thick, three or four Inches high, 
whitifh, {moother than any of the other Corals 1 met withal here, though a 
litticrough, and haying {ome few Pores, folid, and white within when broken, 
continuing 
