N A % ffi R A L H M § O R Y qf NOR WA T. *59
fèmblesl a fmall .fiiiïnel,, and its»|idp-form a' beautiful web like
file finêft filigrim,. - &
}yjto.:;,Qf-the, fame/'cplour as In fo rm e r, flat, w i ^ l e ^ d .prçtty Fie-ö-
indented flioots, : about a finger,in, length, and, half as broad, but
appears to have, been much larger before it was - dptachccj, from
the,fiödy.,of the plant; which, when entire, muft make a yery
beautiful appearance. .
In Nordfeçd, are fometimes^fiDund coral plants, or.fhpots, of s?™e other
which one fide is red an,d sthe, other white,- byfr having, never feen
apy, I,cannot warrant the cerfriintx off it; but I hav&ja brqwn
ftone p f the bigness of -tvyo fifts, incrufkted with coralline fub-
ftanfces, the*ëxrefnai'colour■ of which is- carnation ;~hiTfwifbm-it
isiof th e whitenefs of fnow; it.confifis ofiome hundreds of great
and fmall round bpffés .or buds clofe’to each, other, and forming
an'agreeable figuré. Very probably thefè' would have been^bigger
had-.they, remained.longer ggtjdjg j^ater. Æhiy^eceT account
â Madrepora abrptanöides tubefcüliè horizdntaliter^pofiris, . and in
-a colIedGon off the naturalia of Norway,- I have fince feen larger f
and taller plaints or this h&ftfre. *,
' -The -fifliepaen, often' fell coral bufhes 'to ,the apothecaries at
-Bergen, and, upon ,being aiked, whât is their opinion ahout the
origin/and growth of this marine'vegetable, they anfwer, .that
fometimtesTa white drop h qbferyed to fall from jho
the old cp rah as wellens /rom thefea-tr^s^ asJf it were milk $r
feed, and where this fells a vegetable is produced àççpi?$ing-toits
Secies, ^p lfts^co u n t1; is rin Tome meafure,- confirmed^ by this, '
that the vegetable, number feven, has under f t a white and flat
macula Jik,o a root, fpreading to the extent o f hhe "plant. * The
fame likewife is fiirther attefled by Tàvèrnier, in his travels to India,
where he fpeajks o f the coral-fifheries in the Mediterranean,
but ho is miftaken, in imagining that not, the leaf! fprig of it jwas
to be found in. the wlypfe ocean, our northern coafls -m^nifefKrtg
the contrary: As to its medical ufes it has the,character of being
abforbent, refrigirative, emollient, affringent,. and lengthening,
which may be true, when the tinéhire of it, confiftingjof the ex- J
traéted felts or oil, is adminiffred inwardly; but, that thé' little
beads, made o f the coral (they not being, ass feme imagine, fruits
Or little berries growing thereon,) are endued with any Rich, fin-
Part !• T t f gular