I have made an obfervation before on the caufe why
the circles of calcareous matter are now and then to
be found in the horizontal fedtions of the ftems and
trunks of the horny Gorgonias. I fhall now give another
example in what manner this may happen, to confirm
what I have faid before..
Let us examine fig. i. pi. 2. and we fhall obferve
diftindtly the bone of one Gorgonia inclofing, and formed
over that of another of the fame kind. The Tree Oyfters
and Wormfhell at A. had certainly fixt to the firft or in-
nermoft branch, fo that this mafs of fhells appears to
'have killed its flelhy part. The fucceeding Gorgonia
fpreading itfelf over and round the firft, extends itfelf
likewife over a great part of the fhells, and when it had
almoft reached the ends of the branches of the firft, it
was torn off and thrown on fhore, in which bare fitua-
tion, divefted of its flefh, I received it from the Weft
Indies. This Ihews us plainly how the calcareous matter
or dead flelh of the one may be inclofed by the bone of
the other, and form thofe loofe calcareous circles which
we fo often meet with in crofa feftions of thefe bodies;
I f then the bark of the Gorgonias is infilled on to be:
fimilar to the bark of trees, this queftion will naturally,
arife: Is it the nature o f trees to inclofe their outward;
bark, fo that their rough bark may be diftinguifhed fome
years after among their regular annual circles, when the
tree is cut horizontally ? This I believe has fcarce beem
feen by the moft diligent inveftigator of nature.
In my Effay on Corallines, pag. 61. tab. 26. I have-
given an account of the lingular growth of the Gorgonia
Flabellum. This account was introduced there to. Ihew
that the friable calcareous part was not formed, of accidental
infects, fuch as might and do infeft fea-plants;;
but
but that it belonged to, and fabricated, or rather produced,
the homy part of the animal, as being both one
and the fame body. At that time one could .not fo clearly,
for want of recent well-preferved fpecimens, judge
exactly whether thefe bodies were compofed of one or
many animals. Hofoever, according to later obferva-
tions, this fpecimen clearly Ihews, that the animal Gorgonia
has with its tubes and mouths, in order to ftrengthen
and repair the broken part at B and D, covered over the
fide reticulated part with a new layer, of flefh and bone,,
continuing it in a femicircular form, thereby ftrengthen-
ing and connecting the upper and under parts of the ftem,
very different from any thing I have yet feen among vegetables.
On the upper part of the fame Gorgonia, at C. is Hill
a more remarkable inftance of the growth of thefe animals.
Here the animal having met with fome interruption
in its growth, probably from fome impending rock,
it evidently has grown downwards, and fpread over its;
own reticulated branches, fo as to have covered all their
openings.
Who would expedt, on the ftridteff view of the Gorgonia,
to find it cloathed with fcales of different forms ?
and yet the cafe is fo. Examine the mouths of the G.. Pla-
comus and the G. muricata, and fee how well they are
defended by glafly fpicul® ranged in order.. View the
G. exferta and the G. verticillata, thefe we fhall find to
have remarkable fcales ;. but the G. lepadifera exceeds all
the reft in having its mouths fortified by fcales of various
fizes and fhapes, well adapted to protect thefe tender
parts. When we examine with the microfcope the fcales.
that cover their other flefhy parts, we find them ftill of a.
different fhape, fo that we are induced to think, from.
thefe.