144 T U B I P O R A. 



TAE-27. 1 , Tubipora mufica. Red Organ-pipe Coral. 



Tubipora ruberrima, Deep Red Pipe Coral, with 



feptis tranfverfis tubos per- tranfverfe partitions, conned- 

 pe?idiculares connect entibus. ing perpendicular tubes. 



Tab. 27. 



'Tubipora mufica. Linn. Syft. Nat. Ed. 12. p. 1270. 



There is but one fpecies yet difcovered of this genus ; 

 but there are many varieties, that are to be met with in 

 the cabinets of the curious. Some of thefe are compofed 

 of longer, and fome of fhorter tubes ; befides, the color 

 fometimes varies from a deep red to an orange-color. 

 They grow to the fize of a foot, often to two, three feet 

 or more diameter. The manner of their growth is much 

 in the fame form with the Aftroite Madrepores, or Star 

 Stones ; they adhere to a fhell or rock at firft, and from 

 a fmall beginning extend themfelves into a hemifpherical 

 form, their tubes appearing like fo many rays ; and as 

 they increafe in length, in order to fill up the lpace be- 

 tween the tubes, new tubes arife upon the tranfverfe par- 

 titions. The diameter or their tubes is, at a medium, 

 about one-tenth of an inch, and in length they vary from 

 a quarter to half an inch between the horizontal par- 

 titions. 



When Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander faw them in vafl 

 abundance on the coaft of New South Wales, they ap- 

 peared upon the tide of ebb covered over with a flriated 

 gelatinous fubftance, which was (o extremely llippery, 

 that it was dangerous to tread upon them. The animal 

 that inhabits them appeared to fill both the tube and 

 inner little pipe ; but they had not time to examine them 



alive 



