84 Natural Hiftory of 



when it firft came, I obferved the Surface full of 

 fmall PapHlce^ with a Star of eight Points on the Top of 

 each. After it had been fufFered to reft for fome time in the 

 Salt-Water, each fmall Star fent forth a Polype, with eight 

 Tcjitaculiy or Claws, in the Manner exhibited in the mag- 

 nified Specimen 2X A.- 



In magnifying one of the Polypes a little higher, I obferved, 

 that each Tentaculum^ or Claw, had, on both Sides, Rows 

 of minute fliort Fibres, like the Down on fome pappous 

 Seeds of Vegetables. This is reprefented at Fig. J 2. 



In the flony Coral, found on the Shore near New Tork^ I 

 obferved fomething very fimilar to this flefhy Kind of Co- 

 ral. A Piece of this ftony Coral is reprefented at ^ r. And 

 one of the Stars is magnified a little, to fhew the Marks left 

 by the fame Kind of fmall Fibres of the Tentaculi^ in the 

 Rays of this ftarry Figure, as at ^3. 



When the Water became putrid, the Animals in the flefhy 

 Coral died, and the whole Subftance fmelt cadaverous. It 

 was afterwards dried, in which Condition it fhrunk up to a 

 fpongy light Subftance. 



piateXXXii.N". 3. Alcyo?iiu7n^ feu Veficarla marina. J. Bauhin, 

 F.g.i.5. Sea Wafh-balls. 



This marine Production is compofed of fmall yellow Blad- 

 ders of a comprefled globular Shape, conneded together in 

 Form of a Ball, and very tough. It is found very frequently 

 thrown up on our Shores, and ufed by the Sailors as^oap to 

 walli their Hands. 



Upon differing fome of thefe Bladders, I found them to 

 be the Ovaries, or Matrices^ of our .common Buccinum^ or 

 Whelk -J each diftindt Matrix is about the Size of half a large 



Pea, 



