The Natural Hiftory of Jamaica. 
55 
This Stone moves if put into Vinegar. The Powder of it, (accordi 
fome Natural Hiftorians) to four oe is good for the ata aie 
on and Worms, againft which laft ic is fo effectual, that worn it hinders 
the breeding of them if it touches the naked Body, and keeps off 
Tremblings, Apoplexies, and other fudden Difeafes. It’ brings Victory to 
thofe who carry it, and helps Difeafes of the Liver and Lungs, and clearifes 
the Blood: hang'd up in a Reom it hinders the coming thither of Spiders 
or other venemous Animals. The whiter, with the Stars well formed, are 
your beft, and are {et in Rings worth more or lefs, according to the fancy 
of the Buyer. | | 
This Stone being, before its Original was known, brought by Empyrics 
to Florence, was pretended to come from the Faft, and that there it was ge- 
nerated in the Head of a Dragon, having Stars on it ; it was fuppofed to 
receive great Vertues from the Cauda Draconis, or Conftellation of that 
name, famous amongft Aftrologers, and therefore was held to be very good 
for many Difeafes, as well to preferve from them, as to Cure them, in fo 
much that one Zranffer in his Bills at Vienna, befides the Vertues above- 
faid, gave out, that worn it was able to preferve from the Gout, comforted 
the Sight, generated Hair, hinder'd Mifcarriage, expell’d the After Birth, 
kept away Fear and fearful Dreams, clear'd the Underftanding, and com- 
forted the Melancholy, helpt the Falling-Sicknefs, and kept from being 
hurt by any wild fierce Beaft, cce Which all of them deferve no Credit, 
eing built on Fancy, or defire of Gain ; only the Powder of it, as of Co- 
ralline, may reafonably be fuppofed to Cure Worms. 
This kind of Coral is very frequently found in Quarries, and near the Sur- 
face of the Earthin feveral places of Europe and England. ‘There are many varic- 
ties of it to be found growing under Water, ‘and caft upon the Shores of the 
Seas adjoining to Famaica, and the Caribe Mlands. There is no difference between 
thofe to be found in Famaica and England, excepting what may be cafily ac- 
counted for, from that Foffil in England, its having lain long in the Earth, 
whereby. fome of its Subftance is fometimes loft, and at other times its pores 
and cavities are filled with earth, {parry, or flinty Matter. This Stone J have 
fome pieces of by me, that were given me by Mr.Beaumont, which are as hard, 
diaphanous, and capable of Polifh.asany FlintorAgat. (7ab,21. #7g.1, 2, 3.) 
fhews the Original of this Aftroites, when beginning to grow and {prout up 
from the bottom of the Sea. “Tis firft a Jelly like the white of an Egg or faln 
Star, then grows more Opaque, and if drove afhore, or taken up in this 
ftate, comes to corrugate and dry up into thefe forms. (Fig.4,5,6,7,8.) 
fhews varieties, and different views of the Stone or Coral its felf, when 
come to its full ripenefs, ftate and maturity. (Fig. 9.) fhews alfo one of 
thefe Corals or Stones taken up at Faringdon in Barkjbire. This Stone has 
loft allthe Rays in the ftarry Pipes or Cavities, fave one which yet remains 
intire, but it retains fome part of them at the Circumference, which makes 
the Rays or Strie in the fides of thofe cavities. It is alfo more ponderous 
from the under part, which is filled with ftony and earthy Matter. This is 
to be found in the place abovementioned in great plenty. (Fiz. 10, 11 ) fhews 
the fame Stone turned into a Flint, which yet retains its Figureas to be eafily 
feen, looking on its top to have the Stars, and long-ways to have the trie 
or Rays this Coral has. ‘This polifhesas Agat, and is as hard and dia- 
phanous as it. 
This Stone or Coral has likewife been found in Oxfordhire by Dr. Plott, 
and by Aldrovandus, 1 think, in Germany and Italy, and Bellonius {ays they 
build with them in fome places of France. In Lancafhire by Dr.Leigh, as ap- 
pears by his Hiftory of that Country, Zab.1. Fig.5. and by Mr. Lwid in Glou- 
ceferfhire, as appears by his Lithophylacinm Brittanicum. 
t 
