56 CORALLINE. 



over it by scientific individuals. This plant is the 

 Common Coralline (Corallina officinalis), which 

 may be found most abundantly on any of our 

 coasts, growing in greatest perfection near low 

 water-mark. 



It is well enough known that many creatures, 

 formerly supposed to be vegetable, such as the 

 corals and the zoophytes, have since found their 

 proper place in the animal kingdom; and one 

 consequence of this reformation was, that several 

 real plants were supposed to be animals, because 

 they possessed some of the characteristics which 

 had distinguished those animals that had been 

 placed in their proper position. Of these plants 

 the coralline is a good example ; for until a com- 

 paratively late period, it was placed among the 

 animals in company with the true corals. 



There was reason for this error, for the coralline 

 is a very curious plant indeed, gathering from 

 the sea-water, and depositing in its own sub- 

 stance, so large an amount of carbonate of lime, 

 that when the purely vegetable part of the alga 

 dies, and is decomposed, the chalky portion 

 remains, retaining the same shape as the entire 

 plant, and very much resembling those zoophytes 

 with which it has been confounded. While 

 growing, the coralline is of a dark pi:irple colour; 



