20 Natural Hiftory of 



heimjione with its Animal juft contraded, as in the faine Fi- 

 gure under the other Vei'icles, the Top of which is indent- 

 ed, and appeared not unHke a Coronet : At Whitfiable^ I 

 lately colleded a curious Specimen of this Coralline, which 

 is reprefented on the Mufcle-fliell, at Figure ^, in its natural 

 Size, 



Plate XI. N". 17. Cot'allina confervoides gelatinofa alba^ gefiiculis crajjt- 

 ^ Fig. ^. A. ufculis pelluddis. R. S. p. 34. N°. 7. 

 Silk Coralline. 



This extreme fine, flender, and tranfparent Coralline, ad- 

 heres, by many minute tubular Threads, like fine Silk, to 

 Stones, and other fubmarine Subftances ; thefe Threads unite- 

 ing form the Stem, from which proceed many long flender 

 Ramifications, with a middle Stalk of a zigzag or alternately- 

 angled Form : From the Points of thefe Angles, go ofF very 

 minute fhort Branches, whofe Divifions are always two and 

 two, that is, difpofed in a dichotomous Order. In thefe ap- 

 pear thro' the Microfcope regular Rows of Holes on one Side, 

 each furrounded by a Rim like a Socket : Thefe Holes are 

 placed proportionably nearer to each other, as the Branches 

 grow lefs and lefs ; which they do till they end in Points. 



At N\ 17. ^, Plate XI. is an exad Reprefentation of 

 this Coralline in its proper Proportion : A fmall Branch of 

 this is magnified at B \ and the fine tubular Threads, which 

 are reprefented adhering to a Stone at Fig. d^ are magnified 

 at Figure D. 



The Veficles are of an oval Shape, and open at the Top ; 

 but they are fo exceeding fmall, thin, and tender, that they 

 cannot be preferved without the greateft Difficulty. 



In 



