Natural Hiftory of 



According to this Method, it might be expeded that Corals 

 fliould be ranged and defcribed firft : But of thefe we have 

 fo few on the Coafts ot England and Irela?id^ and the Tex- 

 ture of them fo complex, that wliat I fhall have to fay con- 

 cerning them will be better underflood, after the more limple 

 Produdlions have been defcribed. 



I fhall therefore firft: proceed to th^CoraH'mes^ by which may 

 be underftood thofe fubmarine plant-like Bodies, that condil 

 of many flender, finely divided, and jointed Branches, refem- 

 bling fome Species of Mofs, and under which Appellation 

 they have been defcribed by the Botanifrs. 



Thefe differ from Sea-Plants in Texture, as well as Hard- 

 nefs, and likewife in their chymical Produdions, For Sea- 

 Plants, properly fo called, fuch as the Algce^ Fuci^ &c. afford 

 in Diftillation little or no Traces of a volatile Salt : Whereas 

 all the Corallines afford a coniiderable Quantity ; and in 

 burning yield a Smell fomewhat refembling that of burnt Horn,, 

 and other animal Subftances : Which of itfelf is a Proof that 

 this Clafs of Bodies, tho' it has the vegetable Form, yet is 

 not intirely of a vegetable Nature. 



In treating of tliefe Corallines, in order to preferve fome 

 kind of Method, we fhall divide them into the Veliculated, 

 the Tubular, the Celliferous, and the Articulated Poinds. 



All thefe are ranked by Lhmceus under the Title of Ser~ 

 udaria^ in his Claffes of the coral -like Bodies. 



Before we proceed, it is necciiaiy to obferve, that the De- 

 fcriptions here given are, for the moft part, taken from Co- 

 rallines which have been broughi from a conliderab'e Di- 

 ftance j tho' no Pains have been ipared to procure them as 



recent 



