CONCLUSION. 



THE Reader hath now before him a Recital of the moft 

 cbfervable Circumftances, that have occurred to me in 

 my Enquiries into the Nature of Corallines, together with a 

 faithful Reprefentation of the principal Kinds, and of the Po-!- 

 lypes that inhabit them ; for of this Species of Animals, they 

 undoubtedly are. Accident firft threw the Subjedl in my Way ; 

 unexped;ed Difcoveries awakened and kept up my Curioli- 

 ty ; and, remote as the Nature of my Employment is from 

 Refearches of this Sort, I could not avoid filling up the lei- 

 fure Hours my Bufinefs allowed, with attending to Objedis, 

 minute indeed, but full of pleafing Wonder. 



Many Hints I owe to the Converfation of my Friends ; 

 and I cannot but acknowlege, that whatever elfe may have 

 accrued to me from thefe Purfuits, tl^ey, at leafl:, have been 

 the Means of procuring me many valuable Friendfhips, and 

 an Acquaintance with Men who do Honour to their Coun- 

 try, and their Species. 



I have fhunned Conjecture, as much as poflible, in this 

 Recital ; and, if in any Place it occurs, it is rather with a 

 View to excite thofc, who have it in their Power, to dcmon- 

 flrate the Probability or Improbability of what I advance by 

 Experiment, than to impofe my Opinion upon any-one, 



I own, I am led to fufpedl, that by much the greateft 

 Part of thole Subftances, which from their Figure have hi- 

 therto been reputed Sea-Shrubs, Plants, Mofl'es, &'c. are not 

 only the Refidence of Animals, but their Fabric hkewife ; 

 and ferve for the Purpofes of Subiiftence, Defence, and Pro- 

 pagation, as much as the Combs and Cells fabricated by 

 Bees, and other Infeds^ ferve for fimilar Purpoles. 



That 



