456 STINGING CORALS. [chap. xx. 



but only a few small ones are now found there. In the 

 Pacific, this species, or one with closely allied habits, is 

 said* to inhabit a single coral island, north of the Society 

 group. To show the wonderful strength of the front pair 

 of pincers, *I may mention, that Captain Moresby confined 

 one in a strong tin-box, which had held biscuits, the lid 

 being secured with wire ; but the crab turned down the 

 edges and escaped. In turning down the edges it actually 

 punched many small holes quite through the tin ! 



I was a good deal surprised by finding two species oi 

 coral of the genus Millepora {M. complanata and alcicomis), 

 possessed of the power of stinging. The stony branches or 

 plates, when taken fresh from the water, have a harsh feel 

 and are not slimy, although possessing a strong and 

 disagreeable smell. The stinging property seems to vary 

 in different specimens : when a piece was pressed or 

 rubbed on the tender skin of the face or arm, a pricking 

 sensation was usually caused, which came on after the 

 interval of a second, and lasted only for a few 

 minutes. One day, however, by merely touching my face 

 with one of the branches, pain was instantaneously 

 caused ; it increased as usual after a few seconds, 

 and remaining sharp for some minutes, was perceptible 

 for half an hour afterwards. The sensation was as 

 bad as that from a nettle, but more like that caused 

 by the Physalia or Portuguese man-of-war. Little red 

 spots were produced on the tender skin of the arm, which 

 "appeared as if they would have formed watery pustules, 

 but did not. M. Quoy mentions this case of the Millepora ; 

 and I have heard of stinging corals in the West Indies. 

 Many marine animals seem to have this power of stinging : 

 besides the Portuguese man-of-war, many jelly-fish, and 

 the Aplysia or sea-slug of the Cape de Verd Islands, it is 

 stated in the voyage of the Astrolabe , that an Actinia or sea- 

 anemone, as well as a flexible coralline allied to Sertularia, 

 both possess this means of offence or defence. In the East 

 Indian sea, a stinging seaweed is said to be found. 



Two species of fish, of the genus Scarus, which are 

 common here, exclusively feed on coral : both are coloured 

 of a splendid bluish-green, one living invariably in the 

 lagoon, and the other amongst the outer breakers. Mr. 

 Liesk assured us, that he had repeatedly seen whole shoals 

 grazing with their strong bony jaws on the tops of the 



* Tyerman and Bennett, " Voyage," etc., vol. u. p. 33. 



