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CLASS 1L— ORDER IL 
est rose to a dull brown, or greenish, or only with 
a tinge of red. Infinite gradations are observed : but 
they all bleach by the action of the atmospheric fluids. 
The Polypidoms of this genus are found in all la- 
titudes, in all depths, and on all the coasts of the five 
divisions of the world. They are however observed to 
be larger in the equatorial seas, more brilliant in their 
hues, and more elegant in their form. Fixed usually 
on rocks, or other hard and almost immovable bo- 
dies, they resist the influence of the waves, and are 
very rarely cast upon the shores. Only one or two 
species of Corallinas are parasites on the Tha- 
lassiophytes, whilst nearly the whole of the Janias 
are found upon these vegetables. 
The Corallinas vary but little in their height; they 
sometimes exceed a decimetre, but are in general 
less : I however never met with any under two centi- 
metres. 
The Corallina Officinalis was formerly used as an 
anthelminthic, or destroyer of worms, and absorbent ; 
but in the beginning of the eighteenth century it 
seemed nearly to have fallen into disuse : at a later 
period it was again brought into vogue from the re- 
putation of the Fucus Helminthochorton, vulgarly 
called Moss of Corsica, whose properties seem to be 
of the same nature. 
A very good analysis of the Corallina Officinalis, 
such as it is found in the shops and in collections, has 
been given by M. Bouvier of Marseilles : he found the 
component parts of a thousand grains to be — 
