from a broad bafe that is'fpread
upon rocks. The flefh is of a
whitilh color within, and a
pale afh color without, fur-
nifhed with large polypes,
that have each eight fringed
claws, and come out on the
furface in a quincunx order.
The bone, or hard inward
part, confifts of a number of
little purple, glaify needles,
irregularly but clofely put together
lengthways.
T ab. 14. F ig. i . 2.
This foft Coral has been reckoned by fome authors
an Alcyonium. But having received many elegant fpe-
cimens of it, well preferved in fpirits, from the Earl o f
Hilllborough, which were colleded by Mr. Greg in the
Weft Indies ; they have afforded me an opportunity of
placing it with its proper genus.
The firm purple glaffy infide appears fo diftind from
the pale white fleftiy part on the outfide, that as foon as I
had difcovered this, I did not hefitate to remove it to
its proper genus : befides, the ftems being the largeft in
diameter of all this genus clearly explain to us, what
we are obliged in the other fpecies to make ufe of
magnifying glaffes to difcover, particularly the various
veffels of the organical parts that ferve to extend and con-
tra£t the polype-like fuckers, which fupply the animal
with proper nourifhment for its fupport and further ex-
tenfion. One thing is remarkable in the more folid or
bony part of this animal, that we may eafily diftinguifh
certain
rapes late explanata,
came interne fubalbida
ext erne cinerea, poly pis
majoribus oElotentaculatis
cirratis, ojfe ex acicutis
•vitreis purpureis inordinate
Jed longitudinaliter
compa&is compojto.
G O R G O N I A. 95
certain fine yellow ramified fibres, or' veffels, that are
interwoven among the glaffy hard parts, analogous perhaps
to fuch-like veffels in the harder and fofter parts ot
the bones, of more perfed animals. Further, where the
animal fpreads its fleftiy bafe Ion the rocks, we find the
bony or vitreous purple part adhering to the rocks, as we
do the horny or ftony hard parts in the bafe of the other
21. Gorgonia calyculata.
Gorgonia dichotoma,
rantulis crajjis arreElis,
papillis truncatis, carne
çinerafcente intus purpurea,
ofculis majoribus ca-
lyciformibus confertis fu r -
fum fpe&aniibus, polypis
oElotentaculatis cirratis,
ojje Jubfufco corneo.
. Cup-mouth Gorgon.
This Gorgon grows in a
fubdivided order, having ered
thick branches, with truncated
papillae. The flefli is
afh-colored without, and purple
on the infide, furnilhed
with large cup-fhaped mouths,
difpofed clofe together in a
quincunx order, and looking
upwards, having polypes with
eight fringed claws extending
themfelves from them. The
bone is of a dark brown color,
and horny nature.
larger
This fea-fhrub fends forth round white eggs,
than any of the genus. It was colleded and
fpirits by Mr. Greg.
preferved in
22. Gorgonia abietina.
Gorgonia ramofa pin-
nata, carne Java, ofculis
Fir-like Gorgon. T ab.16.
This, Gorgon is full of
branches which are pinnated.
purpureis,