140 ON THE SICILIAN CORAL FISHERY. 



Varieties. - 4th. Dull white coral ; by some it is called fawn coloured,' 

 from its resemblance to the colour of the fawn, 



5th Clear white coral. All these varieties are found in the 

 seas round the island, sometimes on the same spot. The first 

 and second are not so abundant or common as the others. 

 Appearance of The extremities of coral, when extracted from the sea, are 

 fi^h^rf^^*^^" swelled and rounded, resembling juniper beiTies, Probably 

 . * these were the berries remarked by Pliny, which he considered 

 as the fruit of the coral J although in his work he asserts that 

 they are white and soft under water, and become hard and red 

 out of it. I am inclined to believe, either, that he wrote from 

 the reports of others, or that he has mistaken for them the red 

 Fluid express- globules formed by the artist. These extremities when pressed, 

 give out a white unctuous fluid resembling milk, which has a 

 sour taste. It was formerly thought to be the seed and nutri- 

 tious juice of thp coral plant. 

 Coral hard in The substance of coral is hard as well in the sea, as when 

 sea,an re ^^^ rpj^^ ^^^ ^^^^ .^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ .^ .^ ^ singular cir- 

 cumstance, that the ancients should have entertained these two 

 erroneous opinions, which the most simple examination would 

 The centre have falsified, — The central part or axis of the coral is hard, of 

 hardest. g g^ra solid texture, even, and lamellated ; and hence capable 



Cortical part, of taking the finest polish. This is enclosed by a paler coloured 

 bark of a granulated texture, interspersed v/ith holes in the 

 The largest form of Stars with eight rays. In the coral of the largest size 

 appearance of sometimes is found a kind of joint or union between the difFe- 

 joints. rent pieces of which it is composed,these having the appearance 



Its component of tubes of some length, lying one above the other. In the • 

 parts. analysis of coral we obtain a small quantity of gelatinous 



animal matter, a large proportion of carbonate of lime, and a 

 The colour ap- little iron. The different colours of this beautiful marine 

 owine to iron P^'o^^^tion seem to depend on the different degrees of oxidation 

 of the iron, and various proportions of it in union with the 

 Coral formed animal matter. The discovery of polypi gave the clearest idea 

 by polypi. Qf (i^g origin and growth of coral. These animals, the last in 

 the scale of animated nature, form for themselves small nests 

 sufficiently solid to shelter and protect them. These soft and 

 delicate animals, surrounded by an element in a constant state of 

 agitation, and exposed to the attacks of their numerous enemies, 

 were instructed by nature to form for themselves a covering 



capable 



