Natural Hiftory | 
The calcarious Coat commerices thin where the T. runk 
begins, grows thicker as the Branches advance; and the — 
youngeft Fibres have, generally, by much the largeft Propor- 
tion, if not the largeft Quantity furroundinge them: This 
Part likewife, when thrown into the Fire, yields fomething 
of a marine horay Smell. If we examine this Coat attentive- 
ly, even with the naked Eye, we may difcover in- many 
kinds, regular Orders of Pores or Cells; and, viewed by the 
_ Microicope, it conftantly appears to be an organical Body, 
and not the accidental Concretion of adventitious Subftances, 
like the indurated Cruft upon Mofs and other Vegetables in 
petrifying Waters, but a regular Congeries, like the Cells in ; 
_ which Animals have been formed, or exifted. 
Moft of thefe kinds of Bodies, when perfeG#, exhibit the 
Appearances defcribed ; but we often fee thefe horny Shrubs 
in the Collections of Naturalifts, without any calcarious Co- 
vering at all. Jt muft not however be immediately de- — 
termined, that they were fo formed; fince it is more than 
probable, that they have been divefted of thefe Coverings, - 
by the Violence of the Waves, and other like Accidents ; by 
which they have been {tripped of a Part, that feems not 
-tefs effential to thefe Bodies, than the Bark is to Trees. This 
accidental Change in their external Habit, has, neverthele&, 
occafioned fome Difficulty to the Botanifts; and induced 
even Boerhaave himfelf, to divide them into two Families, 
calling thofe that had their native calcarious Covering Tztano~ 
_Keratophyta; and thofe that were divefted of it, which on 
the Sea-coaft will foon happen, only Keratophyta. 
Notwithftanding thefe ftrong Circumftances, to prove the 
animal Stru€ture of thofe fubmarine Bodies, yet as there are 
many curious and ingenious Perfons, who ftill remain uncon- 
vinced, it becomes neceflary for us to ferutinize into the Na- 
ture of them with more ExaGnefs, — . 
Specimens 
