in Arabia Petrsea ξ^ε. ^Sj 



doth not properly belong to it. It hath been thought more' 

 proper therefore to tranilate ^idczj» T/jc Sea of Weeds, or 

 The IVeedy Sea ', from the Variety of ^/ga and Fuci, that 

 grow within it's Channel, and, at low Water particularly, 

 are left in great Quiintities upon the Sea Shore. 



Though the marine Botany is very entertaining, yet there o/z^r w^ww 

 is an additional Pleafure in obferving the great Variety of J" " ''""'^ 

 Urchins, Stars, and Shells, which prefent themfelves at the 

 fame Time. The Firft are moft of them beautiful and un-uichin,. 

 common. We find fome that are flat and unarmed , of the 

 Tenta^hyllo'td Kind : others that are oval, or elfe globular, 

 very elegantly ftudded all over with little Knobbs, which fup- 

 port fo many Prickles. This Sort of Armour is fometimes 

 thicker than a Swan s Quill ; fmooth and pointed in fome 

 Species \ but blunt and rough, like the Lapides Judaici , in 

 others. The moft curious Star which I faw, made, with it's Sea stat?. 

 five Rays, (or Fingers as we may call them) a Circumference 

 of nine Inches in Diameter. It was convex above, guarded all 

 over with Knobbs, like fome of the Echini, but the under 

 Side was flat and fmoother, having a flit or furrow, capable 

 of expanding or contraoling itfelf, running the whole Length 

 of each Finger. For this Part of the Fifti always lyeth open, 

 difplaying an infinite Number of fmall Filaments, not unlike in 

 Shape (what we commonly call) the Horns of Snails. Thefe 

 are fo many Mouths, continually fearching after Nourifliment ; 

 and as the Coralline Bodies have been obferved to be all Root, 

 the Star may be faid to be all Mouth; each of the little Fila- 

 ments, I have mentioned, performing that Office. By applying 

 the Hand to thefe little Mouths, we quickly perceive the Fa- 

 culty, which each of them hath, of fucking like a Cupping 

 Glafs : but no fooner is the Fifh removed into the Air, than 

 they let go their Holds, and the Furrow, which was before ex- 

 panded, is now immediately fliut up. There would be no End^heiis. 

 of enumerating the great Diverfity of Shells which adorn the 

 Banks, or lye in the Shallows of the Red Sea. The Concha 



I However it (hould not be omitted, that IJpaiius furniiheth us with a very ingenious 

 conjedure in fuppofing This, in Contradiftindlion perhaps to the SnjncZJ• Great Sea 

 οΐ Mediterranean, to be the fame with a Sea that is circumfcribed by (vifible) Bounds on 

 both Sides. Dicitur mare Supfa Hebr/ice ex Rad. ^ID deficere, finite, unde eft nomen ^ΤΌ finis 

 leu extremitas. £ff/. 3. ii. HiBf mare Suph f/? i» v^rii W^J-i finitum, limitatum, terminis 

 & littoribus circumfeptum. Vid. IJven'tj Navigat. 5<i/e>»e«ii Ophirit. IlJuftrat. Witt. 1660. 



p. 2%6 



Ε e e e e 2 Veneris 



