. ' C 45! ] 
m winter as well as in fummer, Count de Marfigli 
obferved, that he did in December find the milky 
juice between the bark of coral and its fubftance, in 
the fame manner as he did in the month of June 
preceding. 
M. de Peyflbnnel was unwilling, that the idea, 
which the ingenious difco very of the Count de Mar- 
figli had given, in relation to the flowers of coral, 
fhould be loft > and therefore, being at Marfeilles 
in the year 1723, he went to fea with the coral - 
fifliers. Being well apprifed of what Marfigli had 
obferved, and the manner of his making thefe ob- 
fervations, as foon as the net, with which they 
bring up the coral, was near the level of the water, 
he plunged a glafs veflel therein, into which he 
convey’d fome branches of coral. Some hours after, 
he obferved, that there appear’d a number of white 
points upon every fide of this bark. Thefe points 
anfwer’d to the holes, which pierced the bark, and 
formed a circumfcribed figure with yellow and white 
rays, the center of which appear’d hollow, but after- 
wards expanded itfelf, and exhibited feveral rays re- 
fembling the flower of the olive-tree ; and thefe are 
the flowers of coral defcribed by Marfigli, 
Having taken this coral out of the water, the 
flowers enter’d into the bark, and difappear’d j but 
being again put into the water, fome hours after 
they were perceptible again. He thought them not 
fo large as the Count de Marfigli mentions, fcarce 
exceeding in diameter a large pin's head. They 
were foft, and their petals difappear’d, when they 
were touched in the water, forming irregular figures. 
Having put fome of thefe flowers upon white paper, 
Jb 1 1 2 ’ they 
