Sea-Fig. Ellis Corallin. pag. 82. tab. 17. fig. b. B.
Alcyonium Ficus. Linn. Syft. Nat. Ed. 12. p. 1295.
The name of Sea-Fig was given to this fubftance by the
filhermen on the coaft of Kent (where I found it) on account
of the internal ftru&ure, the cells and their contents
looking like the feeds in the fig, and not from the
external form, as I have already mentioned in my Eflay
on Corallines. This name of Sea-Fig has occafioned a
miftake in fome late authors, who have confounded it
with the Sea-Fig of Count Marfigli, tab. 16. fig. 79.
which is a true Sponge.
2. Alcyonium gelatino- „ , rTr ,
J 1 iru m. & Pudding6; Weed.
Alcyonium luteum ge- This Alcyonium is o f a
latinofum polymorphum. yellowifh color, and of a gelatinous
fubftance. It is found
in various irregular forms.
Sea ragged Staff. Ellis Corallin. pag. 87. tab. 32..
fig. d. D.
Alcyonium gelatinofum. Linn. Syft. Nat. Ed. 12. p. 1295.
Fucus gelatinoj,us. Hudf. Flora Angl. pag. 471.
This is found at particular feafons full of minute papillae,
which fend forth polypes, and properly comes under
this clafs. In the month of Auguft, 1752, there was
fo great a quantity of it driven near Sheernefs, in the Iile
o f Sheppey, as to clog the filhermen’s nets, and interrupt
their fifiling.
4. Alcyonium
4. Alcyonium Schlofieri. Schloffer s Alcyonium.
Alcyonium carnofum This confifts of a lead-co-
lividum aflerifcis luteis, lored flefiiy fubftance, adorned
radiis obtujis, ornatumT" with yellow ftars, that have
obtufe rays.
Uva marina. Rondelet. hift. aquatil. 2. pag. 130.
Phil. Tranf. Vol. 49. pag. 449. tab. 14.
Borlafe Nat. Hift. of Cornwall, pag. 254. tab. 25.
% !— 4-
This moft curious fea production grows on fucus’s and
ftones on the coaft of Cornwall and Wales.
We have but an imperfeCt figure and account o f it in
Rondeletius; but my worthy friend the late Dr. Schlofler
has given us a very good figure and defcription of it in
the Philofophical TranfaCtions. The Rev. Dr. William
Borlafe, in his Natural Hiftory of Cornwall, has likewife
given us a figure of two kinds; one with a hole at each end
of the rays, befides the central hole in the epidermis; and
one with only one hole in each ray, and that on the broad
part, which he takes to be the lame with Dr. Schlofler’s;
but I find that the two kinds, mentioned by Dr. Borlafe,
are one and the fame animal, and this appears very clearly
from a fpecimen fentme from North Wales, by my ingenious
friend Thomas Pennant, Efq. where the ftars on it
anfwer to both kinds; for fome of the rays have only one
hole, which is on the obtufe end, but the greateft number
of the ftars have a fmall hole at the narrow end of the
rays which turns up, befides the hole on the broad part:
fometimes thefe holes at the fmall end join all together
in a circle, and the opening of the outward Ikin, or
A a epidermis,