[ 281 3 
to trouble your Lordlhip with the following remarks, 
which I find neceflary to fupport what I have al- 
ready advanced on that head. 
His firjft argument is, That becaufe he does not 
find as many polypes in the corallines adhering to 
lhips, flood-gates, and buoys, as in deep water on 
oyfters, mufcles, and rocks, therefore he concludes, 
that corallines are not formed by polypes. 
In anfwer to this, let us examine the pliable ftruc- 
ture of thefe bodies, and how wifely nature has de- 
fended fuch tender fubftances with a tough thin 
membranaceous covering, and we fhall find, that the 
fea is calm enough often near the furface to give 
them time to grow, even in the ftrongefl: currents : 
but, without doubt, they are more liable to be de- 
flroyed in fuch agitated fituations, than in the calm 
depths of the fea. 
His fecond argument is, That finding polypes are 
not equally difperfed over the whole plant, how can 
they form it ? and gives us an example, Tab. VIII. 
jig. 5. of a coralline, that is incrufted with many 
other corallines or polypes on the ftem, but has none 
on the branches. 
Here we plainly fee the miftake : the Do&or looks 
for the tender part of the polype on the furface of 
the coralline, confidering it as a plant ; and indeed, 
if this was the cafe, he ought fo to do ; but he never 
once takes notice of the internal hollow ftru&ure of 
the Hem, branches, and denticles of thofe bodies, to 
inform us, whether he found an animal in thofe parts 
or no. This material point he feems not to have 
thought on ; which is really the true point in con- 
troverfy at prefent among gentlemen, who have not 
examined thefe bodies recent in fea-water. 
V o l. 50. O o His 
