THE SMALL 



SEA - BRISTLE CORALLINE. 



Generic Character, 



A compound Hydra or Polype ramified in the 

 manner of a plant, included in a horny cafe, 

 and affixed by its hafe. 



Specific Character, &c. 



SIMPLY PINNATED SERTULARIA, with 

 bent alternate pinnae furnifhed with very 

 remote procefles growing on one fide only, 

 and oblong axillary ovaries. 



LITTLE SEA -BRISTLE CORALLINE. 



"Ellis Zooph. p. 47. 

 Ellis's Corallines, pL 38. fig. 4. 



The genus Sertularia affords a moft curious proof 

 of an animal body under the appearance of a vegetable. 

 So very great is the fimilarity which molt of the fpe- 

 cies bear to plants, that they have almoft univerfally 

 been regarded as a fort of fea-molfes, and as fuch have 

 been defcribed by moft naturalifts ; but the late inge- 

 nious Mr. Ellis feems to have clearly proved that 

 thefe apparent vegetables are no other than real marine 

 polypes or hydras ; which differ from the frefh-water 

 polypes in being provided by Nature with a horny 



cafe 



