The S E V E N V E G E T A B L E F A M I L I E S. 197 
with it all the way, a thin coat of that mafs, which liardening in the li- 
quor, appears long and hollow, and is called a Branch. In a manner fome- 
what like this the bottoms of the Ditches in our Salt Marflies, are covered 
with a light, and flat foliaceous green fubftance, which fpreads evenly upon 
the mud. This is plainly the original of the Convoluted Alga j and, 
perhaps, in this, not in the more fpecious upright form, we may fometime 
find the Seeds of the 1 lant. 
A Bubble of the air, imprifoned between this green Coat and the Mud, 
may rife toward the furface; and as the Coat is tough and flexible, this 
Bubble may afeend cloathed with it, as in the other inflance : the motion 
of the Water may give the Convolutions, as this gives the hollownefs j 
and from thefe combined Powers may arife the peculiar form, not of this 
alone, but of many of the Conferva;, which are alfo of this Family ; and 
which, perhaps, have hitherto impofed upon the world as procefles of ve- 
getative growth. 
The Curious will receive this as conjefture : it is propofed no other- 
wife: but if I'ucceeding feafons fhould (hew to me, or others, the Frudi- 
fications of this Plant in its Ampler part, upon the bottom of the Waters,, 
this opinion will be flrengthened j and, perhaps, extended to more in- 
fiances. 
Tins Convoluted Alga which, from its place of growth, and its re-- 
femblance of prepared Animal Inteftines, the common clafs of Writers 
have called the Sea Chitterling, afeends without a Stalk, as it grows from- 
no Root : where there is one of thefe parts, there naturally is the other 
bccaufc they depend upon, and are continuations, in great part, of one 
another. The furface of the plain Plate rifes in a Tube, and afeends to 
two, three, or four feet in height: it is naturally upright; but it is fo- 
weak, that the force of the w'ater bends down its top ; which fifing a- 
gain, and being again bent by the fame force, twifts the whole Tube about, 
in a manner, tho’ more loofe, yet fomething like what Namre fiievvs in 
the difpofition of the Inteftines in an animal body. The furface alfo, by, 
the fame impreffion, is cruftied a little, as it continues to grow ; and thele* 
preflures, fo often repeated, force down the new part of the Tube upon 
itfelf, at fliort intervals, and by that means make the indentings, fwellings,. 
ribs, and furrows, which (hew their light traces lengthwife, and tranfver- 
fely throughout the body of the Plant. 
The Tube maintains all the way a large cavity; and as the air has 
great fpace in it for expanfion, it docs not burft at top j but terminates in 
an entire plain and clofed end. 
Tno’ 
