OF CORNWALL. 255 
rifks of gold 5 but their beautiful colour immediately faded, though 
kept in fait water, fo that they are to be feen in perfection only and 
drawn (as thefe were) on the fpot, and when the alcyonium is fixed ; 
when dried, they fhrivel up like a piece of finged leather, and their 
fubftance ferments ftrongly with aqua forth. There is no doubt but 
thefe alcyoniums confift of an arrangement of the jelly-like bodies 
of a certain animal determined to form in fuch thin coatings upon 
the rocks. The ingenious Mr. Ellis - has fhewn beyond contra- 
diction that the corallines are pervaded in all their ftalks and branches 
by polypes. Into thefe bodies (fo adapted by their jointed ftruc- 
ture to float to and fro in the water, and to place them in the 
reach of their proper prey) they either infinuate themfelves, exca- 
vating cells for their eggs, and ftiffening tubes and paffages for 
themfelves and their fupple young ones, or according to another 
hypothecs lately efpoufed by gentlemen of great experience in 
this branch of fcience % they form this coralline armature for them- 
felves from the very foundation, being taught their leffon by the 
fame Matter who inftruCfs the fnail, the oyfter, and the belemmte 
to build according to the exigencies of their fpecifical fbape of 
body *. However that be, through the extremities of the coralline 
boughs they thruft forth their tentacula or arms to feize their prey ; 
they are fo fmall that they are feldom to be feen but in microfcopes, 
their prey is proportionally fmaller and weaker, yet probably ani- 
mals, and thofe have other fubordinat zfpecies of animal- food beyond^ 
the reach of glaffes (for what elfe but animal-food can confift of 
parts fine enough for their vital pafiages ? ) ; all thefe are furnifhed 
with life and motion, that whilft they range in fearch of their own 
fond thev may difperfe and gradually communicate animal nou- 
fuperiors in fize and ufefulnefs to mankind. 
Among a parcel of fea-plants brought me March 24, 175 2, I Worms 
found a fea-flug, fmooth and fiimy as the land-flug 01 dew-inail, 
pointino- forth its eyes on its antenna ; it crept and clafped, con- 
tracted and extended itfelf, (as the fnail) by its belly, but had this 
peculiarity, that it emitted at times a moft beautiful purple colour ; 
when it was almoft dead, on dropping a few grains of fait on its 
back it fent forth the purple dye very plentifully. It feems to me of 
the Holothurian kind ; of which Rondeletius treats, part 11. p. 125* 
Fio-. xni. Plate xxvi. is the long-worm found upon Careg-killas, 
in Mount’s Bay, which, though it might properly enough come in 
among the anguilli-form fifhes, which are to fucceed m their order, 
yet I chufe to place here among the lefs perfeCt kind of fea ani- 
mals : it is brown, and (lender as a wheaten reed ; it meafured five 
„ F R.S. London, Hift. of Corallines, printed * Mr. Ellis, before-mentioned, and others. 
=_ T „rr * See page 242, before. 
