608 
ZOOPHYTES. 
“ Or this method may be tried : — that is, to place 
the oysters with the corallines on them in broad 
earthen or wooden vessels, with as much sea-water 
over them as will barely cover them ; let them rest 
an hour, and then pour boiling water gently by the 
side of the vessel, to about the same quantity that 
there was of cold water in the vessels. Immediately 
afterwards pluck the corallines off the shells, and 
put them in bottles of spirits as before. When they 
are received, in order to be examined, you must 
provide long narrow bottles of crystal glass to put 
the different sorts in; these must have wide mouths, 
and be filled with the clearest spirits, but not 
stronger than proof brandy ; and of such a diameter 
as shall be agreeable to the focus of the glass you 
propose to examine them by. If these bottles are 
properly stopped to prevent the spirits evaporating, 
it will be the best method I know of keeping these 
extraordinary plant-like animals in a condition ca- 
pable of convincing the most incredulous of their 
nature and origin.” 
But few of the corallines which are found in the 
warmer parts of the world, bear any resemblance, 
either in form or texture, to those which grow in 
our sea. They are for the most part of a testace- 
ous nature, and effervesce strongly in acids. Large 
forests of these submarine productions are to he 
met with on the southern coasts of America, as 
well as in other parts of the world ; and the differ- 
ent forms they assume, are seen to advantage in 
those seas, where the water is frequently clear 
