364 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
vigilance of succeeding observers, and some of these so 
strongly resemble a flowering vegetable in their forms, that 
they have been mistaken by many naturalists for such. 
Mr. Hughes, the author of the Natural History of Bar- 
badoes, has described a species of this animal, but has mis- 
taken its nature, and called it a sensitive flowering plant ; he 
observed it to take refuge in the holes of rocks, and, when 
undisturbed, to spread forth a number of ramifications, each 
terminated by a flowery petal, which shrunk at the approach 
of the hand, and withdrew into the hole, whence before it 
had been seen to issue. This plant, however, was no other 
than an animal of the polypus kind, which is not only to be 
found in Barbadoes, but also on many parts of the coast of 
Cornwall, and along the shores of the Continent. 
Lithophytes and Spong e,s. If we examine the bottom 
of the sea, along some shores, and particularly at the mouths 
of several rivers, we shall find it has the appearance of a forest 
of trees under water, millions of plants growing in various 
directions, with their branches entangled in each other, and 
sometimes standing so thick as to obstruct navigation. The 
shores of the Persian gulph, the whole extent of the Hed sea, 
and the wesLern coasts of America, are so choked up in 
many places with these coruline substances, that though ships 
force a passage through them, boats and swimmers find it 
impossible to make their way. These aquatic groves are 
formed of different substances, and assume various appear- 
ances. 
The coral plants, as they are called, sometimes shoot out, 
like trees without leaves in winter ; they often spread outa 
broad surface like a fan, and not uncommonly a large bund- 
ling head, like a faggot ; sometimes they are found to resem- 
ble a plant with leaves and flowers, and often the antlers of 
a stag, with great exactness and regularity. In other parts 
of the sea are seen sponges, of various magnitude, and extra- 
ordinary appearances, assuming a variety of fantastic 
forms, like large mushrooms, mitres, fonts, and flower-pots. 
Il in our researches after the nature of these plants, we 
should be induced to break off a branch of the coruline 
substance, and observe it carefully, we shall perceive its 
whole surface, which is very rugged and irregular, covered 
with a mucous fluid, and almost in every part studded with 
little jelly like drops, which, when closely examined, will 
be found to be no other than insects of the polypus kind. 
These have their motions, their arms, their appetites exactly 
resembling those described in the last chapter; but they 
