working this lace in coral groves, can hardly be reflefted on without emotions of aflo- 
nifhment at their wonderful dedication. The elegance of the other Specimens adhering 
to the tubular coraline, was fufficient inducement to add them; the manner of branching 
out, and arrangement of the brittle pipes of which that at e. is compofed, is more dif- 
tinQ.ly expreffed at E. on account of its feeming different from any yet figured among 
the Britifh Corals. / 
Various fluff ra are often found cloathing the lurface of the corals, as on the branch 
of the plate at b— a fpecimen of their cells are given magnified at B. The forms of 
the other might have been delineated or defcribed, but their appearance is fo correfpon- 
dent with thofe coralines, which rear up and fpread the layers of their cells like thin 
leaves and are in that form called Jca matts ; of which the Bombycina* is a Unking m- 
ftarce of refemblance to that at B. Thus it would feem, that the fame Animals can 
ekhc r bu'dd their ceils on the furface of a fione or coral, or rear them up into detached 
folia 2" when they do not find a fuitable fubjeft to which they can adhere.— As the Co- 
ralines’dn the form ofleavcs, are frequently call afhore, it has given opportunity of their 
levins b-en often examined ; and the various llrufture of their cells have been already 
minutely afeertained by Mr. Ellis. Notwithflanding, therefore, thefe mentioned are 
verv beautiful fubietts, it was unneceflary to exhibit them anew, although afluming ap- 
pearances fomewhat different, when thus formed running along the branches of the larger 
^ The endlefs diverfity of form, and appropriate Angularities, whereby the feveral fpe- 
c ;„s are diflinguilhed, all fo amazingly adjufted to ufeful ends confpicuoufly in view, 
and difclofing an apparently ever aSive infinitude of (kill employed in the modification 
of that u nlverfal life wherewith they are acTuated, afford a perpetual fource of furpnle 
, nc] pieafcre in the examination of them : Reafon and Piety are delightfully exercifed,. 
b : invelti mating the difpiays of wife delign which pervade die unexplored regions of the 
(! ; eD • _the wonderful properties of Nature feen unfolding there, with unufua elegance 
and beauty, fupply us with a Philofophic entertainment of the molt elevating kind ; lor 
beauty and excellence whenever admired, add to the parent enjoyments of Human Life. 
The [Heeding of thefe more interefling produaions of Nature, which cultivate that 
dircernment, ought therefore to be efteemed a beneficial as well as amufang care, and its 
:: c valmcc among thofe of more refined tafte, cannot be better evinced than by the 
numerous colledions of the fubjeds of Natural Hiftory which enrich the Cabinets of the 
curious To thofe perfons who are not in poffellion of thefe, good Drawings and D.e- 
Tcriptions very effedually fupply their places. 
* Natural Hiftory of Zoophytes, tab. 4, fig. B. 
