332 WORMS AND ZOOPHYTES; 



ral rivers, has the appearance of aforeft under water, millions of plants 

 growing wich their branches entangled in each other, fometimes io ftrong- 

 ly as to obftruft navigation. The Perfian gulph, the Red fea, the Wef- 

 tern coafts of America, are choaked up in many places with coraline 

 fubftances j though fhips force a pafTage through them, they arc imprac- 

 ticable to boats and to fwimmers. 



Corals fometimes fhoot out like branches of trees, or a broad fur- 

 face like a fan, or a large bundling head like a faggot; fometimes 

 they refemble a plant with leaves and flowers j often the antlers of a ftag. 

 Elfe where in the fea are feen fponges of various magnitude, and extraordi- 

 nary appearances, afluming phantailic forms like mufbrooms, mitres, 

 fonts, flower-pots. Thefe produdions feem entirely vegetable ; but the 

 ingenious Mr. Ellis, by fagacious and diligent enquiry, determined 

 that corals and fponges are the work of animals, and (like the honey- 

 comb) coral was produced by an infinite number of affociates -, thefe are 

 of the polypus kind, whofe united labours fill trafts of ocean with thefe 

 tokens of their mduftry. 



Should we be induced to break off a branch of the coraline fubflance 

 from its original connection, we fliall perceive its whole furface, which 

 is very rugged and irregular, covered with a mucous fluid, almoft in 

 every part fludded with little jelly-like drops : thefe clofely examined, 

 prove to be of the polypus kind j have motions, arms, and appetites ex- 

 actly refembling thofe already defcribed, but they foon expire when 

 taken out of the fea. 



A coraline plant, ftriftly obferved while growing, if not difturbed, 

 the little polypi will be feen in infinite numbers, each ifl!uing from its 

 cell, and in fome kinds the head covered with a little fliell, refembling 

 an umbrella, the arms fpread abroad to feize its prey, while the hinder 

 part remains attached to its habitation, from whence it never wholly re- 

 moves. All are alTiduoufly employed in the fame purfuits. 



Mr. Ellis examined their operations juft as they were beginning. In 

 a neglected oyfter- bed he perceived the firft rudiments of a coraline plan- 

 tation, and tufts of various kinds lliooting from diflferent parts. He 

 took out the oyfters thus furniflied with coralines, and placed them in a 

 large wooden veflel, covering them with fea-water. In about an hour he 

 perceived the animals, which before had been contradled by handling, 

 and had fhewn no figns of life, expanding themfelves in every direction, 

 and employed in their own natural manner. To preferve them thus ex- 

 . paneled, fo as to be permanent objeds of curiofity, he poured, by flow 

 J z degrees, 



