Philosophical transactions, Vol. L. Part I. For the year 1757. / Giving some account of the present undertakings, studies, and labours, of the ingenious, in many considerable parts of the world.

by Various; Royal Society

d. The same in its natural size.

E. A piece of y^e. blood red tubes which is harden'd into a shelly or stony substance with some appearance of reticulations, taken from y^e. space between y^e. knobs.

e. The same in its natural size.

F.F. Small holes in y^e. branches of y^e. polypes.

G. A mass of the stem not so highly magnified shewing y^e. tubes passing from stony to spongy.

g. The same in its natural Size.

H. The transverse section of the base shewing the holes in the ends of the tubes.

I. One of the radiated cells magnified, this is guarded by 8 pointed valves, which close inward, when

K. the Polype draws in his head (which is figur'd at K) and opens outward when it extends it.

I now lay before you a piece of red coral (See [Tab. III.] Fig. A.) from the East Indies of a very singular kind, which I received from your friend Abraham Hume, Esq. The stem and branches of this appear evidently to the naked eye to consist of a combination of vermicular tubes closely connected together: and, if we trace these little tubes to their starry openings on the surface, Fig. B. we shall plainly discover them to be the red testaceous coverings of certain marine polypes, which have raised themselves thus upright, and disposed themselves into this remarkable vegetable form.