84 Natural Hiftory of | 
--.When it firft. came, I obferved the Surface full of 
fmall Papilie, with a Star of eight Points on the Top of 
each. After it had been fuffered to reft for fome time in the 
Salt-Water, each {mall Star fent forth a Polype, with eight 
Tentacult, or Claws, in the Manner exhibited in the mag- 
nified Specimen at 4 
In magnifying one of the Polypes a little higher, I ebcnred! 
that each Yentaculum, or Claw, had, on both Sides, Rows 
of minute fhort Fibres, like the Down on fome pappous 
Seeds of Vegetables. ‘This is reprefented at F ig. 42. 
In the ftony Coral, found on the Shore near Vew York, I 
obferved fomething very fimilar to this flefhy Kind of Co- 
ral. A Piece of this {tony Coral is reprefented at 41. And 
one of the Stars is magnified a little, to fhew the Marks left 
by the fame Kind of {mall Fibres of the Zéntacul, in the 
Rays of this ftarry Figure, as at 4 3. ve 
When the Water became putrid, the Animals in the flethy 
Coral died, and the whole Subftance {melt cadaverous. It 
was afterwards dried, in which Condition it fhrunk up to a 
fpongy light Subftance. | tye) h 
plateXxxILN°. 3. eyonium, feu Veficaria marina: J. Bauhin. | 
per Be aaa Wath-balls. x 
_ This marine Produ@tion is compofed of {mall-yellow Blad- 
ders of a comprefled globular Shape, conneéted together in 
Form of a Ball, and very tough. It is found very frequently 
thrown up on our Shores, and ufed by the Sailors as. Soap to. 
wath their Hands. este | fn 
Upon difle@ing fome of thefe Bladders, I found them to 
be the Ovaries, or Matrices, of our common Buccinum, or 
Whelk ; each diftin&’ Matrix is about the Size of half a large 
oa | reaig Pea, 
