[ J 92 ] 
confider this covering, for the future, as proper and 
neceffary for the well-being of thefe little animals, 
as they do at prefent hair and wool for bead's, fea- 
thers and down for birds, and fcales and flime for 
fifhes. 
This red coral is mentioned by Rumphius, in his 
Herbarium Amboinenfe , Vol. vi. Tab. 85. p. 26 4. 
but, as the figure he has given, is not fufiicient to de- 
monftrate its tubular texture and animal ffrudture, I 
have had it more accurately drawn ; and thofe parts 
in particular magnified, which may tend to illuftrate 
the foregoing defcription. He mentions, that it is in 
great efteem with them, on account of its beautiful 
figure j but would be much more fo, if it was not 
for the great difficulty they find in preferving the 
fmalleft twigs from falling off ; which is the reafon, 
I fuppofe, that this fpecimen is not more complete. 
Laftly, he tells us, that it is ufed by the inhabit- 
ants of the Spice-iflands as a principal ingredient in 
their medicines to expel' poifon : as alfo, that they 
have it in great efteem on account of its excellent 
diuretic quality. 
Upon examining this coral in the microfcope, I 
obferved, that the outfide tubes of the ftem were 
chiefly ftonv, but that the inward parts were cofn- 
pofed of as many divifions of fpongy tubes, as there 
were of ffony ones. 
This I find arifes from the fmaller ramifications, 
which being fpongy at the knobs, and ftony in the 
fpaces between them, are inclofed and united to- 
gether into one common mafs during the growth 
of this coral ; fo that both the foft and hard parts 
together make up the infide of its trunk or idem. 
When we examine minutely the two parts, that 
compofe 
