[ 287 ] 
on the gelatinous part of the fponge. This the ce- 
lebrated Donati confirms, in* his Hiftory of the Adri- 
atic Sea j who endeavouring to find out, like Peyfo- 
nell, the animal fabricator of the alcyonium primum 
Diofcoridis, which approaches very near to the 
Iponges : he met with many irregular cavities in it, 
and alfo different kinds of inhabitants ; one of them 
he has particularly defcribed and figured. Vide 
Donat. Hill. M. Adriat. p. 58. t. 8. fig. G. But he 
very judicioufly fays, thefe are not the fabricators, 
but the inhabitants ; and allows the alcyonium to be 
of animal origin, in which he fays he has difcovered 
evident marks of fenfation. 
As to the fecond doubt, it may be obferved by the 
curious enquirer into nature, that the fame property 
of enclofing extraneous fubflances is common to the 
whole clafs of Zoophytes, as they grow up, from the 
fponge to the red coral. In order to prove this, I have 
various fpecimens as well of fponges as keratophytons 
and corals, with different bodies enclofed in them, 
both animal and vegetable. I have fpecimens where 
even the red coral enclofes the white coral, and the 
white the red; with. many keratophytons, that have 
enclofed fmall roundifli fhells of the barnacle tribe, 
thought by fome fuperficial enquirers into nature 
(who would have them to be vegetables) to be the 
fruit of the keratophytons. Vid. Phil. Tranf. vol. L. 
p. 853. Tab. 34. Fig. 19. I am, 
SIR, 
Your mofi obedient fervant, 
John Ellis. 
An 
Giay’s-rni>, 
Dec. 5, 1765. 
