The sensation was as bad as that from a nettle, but
more like that caused by the Physalia or Portuguese man-of-war.
Little red spots were produced on the tender skin of the arm, which
appeared as if they would have formed watery pustules, but did not.
M. Quoy mentions this case of the Millepora; and I have heard of
stinging corals in the West Indies. Many marine animals seem to
have this power of stinging: besides the Portuguese man-of-war,
many jelly-fish, and the Aplysia or sea-slug of the Cape de Verd
Islands, it is stated in the "Voyage of the Astrolabe" that an
Actinia or sea-anemone, as well as a flexible coralline allied to
Sertularia, both possess this means of offence or defence. In the
East Indian sea a stinging sea-weed is said to be found.
Two species of fish, of the genus Scarus, which are common here,
exclusively feed on coral: both are coloured of a splendid
bluish-green, one living invariably in the lagoon, and the other
amongst the outer breakers. Mr. Liesk assured us that he had
repeatedly seen whole shoals grazing with their strong bony jaws on
the tops of the coral branches: I opened the intestines of several
and found them distended with yellowish calcareous sandy mud.
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