• 8. Gorgonia lepadifera.
T a b . 13
F ig . 1.
2.
This fpecies of Sea-Feather exceeds all the reft of this
genus both in neatnefs and elegance of form. It is found
near Sardinia, in the Mediterranean Sea, and grows to
two and three feet high. The flefh is full of parallel
tubes, that grow clofe round the bone. In the younger
branches the bone is very brittle, and of a pale yellow
color; as the number of layers increafe, the furface of
each layer has a fhining pearl-like look, very like fome
kind of fea-fhelfe. See plate 2. fig. 4. 5.
Barnacle-bearing Gorgon.
This Gorgon is dichotomous
•. it is almoft covered
with mouths, which are placed
clofe together, hanging over
one another; they are bell—
fhaped, bent downwards,, and
full of final 1 fcales. The fieftx
is covered with minute whitifh
fcales. The bone in the larOger
branches is teftaceous,. or rather
like bone,,, and in. the
ftnaller ones horny..
Gorgonia dichotoma, of-
culis confertis refiexis cam-
panulatis imbricatisy came
J'quamulis albis obdu£lar
ojje in ramulis majoribus
tejlaceoy in minoribus cor-
neo.
T ab. 13. F ig. i . 2.
Planta marina Refeche facie. Clufii Exot. p. 122.
Gorgonia lepadifera. Linn. Syft. Nat. Ed. 12. p. 1289.
' This Gorgonia is found on the coaft of Norway : the
fpecimen figured here was brought from Archangel, and
prefented to me by Dr. Solander.
This very curious animal rifes ufually to eighteen
inches high. The heads and mouths bend downwards,
1 . and
and have the appearance of fome fpecies of Barnacles;
they are covered with white fcales.of different fizes, placed
one over the other. The opening of each mouth is fur-
rounded by eight little pointed valves or fcales, which
clofe together in the dried fpecimens. I f we compare the
fcales of the Coluber Ceraftes (of which there is a moft
elegant figure in the Philofophical Transactions, Vol. 56.
tab? 14.) we fhall obferve fomething ftmilar in the fcales-
on the mouth of that animal, to thofe on this Gorgonia,
but varying in fhape according to the form of their,
mouths : we may likewife fee what a variety of fhapes
the fcales are of on the reft of the body of this viper, to
fuit the various turnings and twiftings of this adtive animal
: in this Gorgonia, which is a fixt animal, the fcales
on the Item and branches, which do not move, are much
o f one form, differing greatly from thofe on the heads,
which are always in motion, while the animal is alive
and catching; its food..
9. Gorgonia pedtinata.
. Gorgonia teres, ramulisfecundis
parallelis afcen-
dentibus., came rubra, of-
culis. creberrimis rotundis
prcminuliSy offe duro albo
\The Comb-like Gorgon,.
This Gorgon is round ; it’s
ftnall branches come out parallel,
and only on one fide,,
and grow eredt. The flefh.
is reddifh; the mouths are.
round,, numerous, and pro-
jedt a little.: The bone is.
white within, hard:and; brittle.
fragili,.
Seb. mu£ 3, tab. 105-. fig. s..i,a-
Gorgonia p&Binata. Linn. Syft, Nat. Ed. 12. pag. 12.92,.
This