X. 1 S I s. ISIS, or J O I N T E D C O R A L ,
Animal crefcens plantée
forma.
Stirps lapidea, articulât
a, articulis Jlriis longi-
iudinaliter exaratis, fub-
Jlantia fpongiofa vel cornea
connexis.
Caro ' mollior.
porofa
atque cellulofa,
Ofculis polypiferis, ten-
taculatis, oviparis obduEla,
Is an animal growing in the
form of a plant;
whofe ftem is ftony and jointed
: the joints are furrowed
longitudinally, and united together,
in fome by a fpongy,
in others by a horny fubftance.
It is covered over by a foft
porous and cellular flefh,
full of little mouths, from
whence the polypes with their
claws come forth, through
whom the eggs are produced.
This genus o f Zoophytes is very nearly allied to the
Corgonias, having a hard part within, which is the fup-
port or bone of the animal, and a fofter part without,
which is its flefh. This foft part is furnifhed with organs
that ferve both for nutrition and generation. Thefe
are its polype-like fuckers, which are contained in, and
extend themfelves from its cells, when in fearch of food.
The difference between the Ills and Gorgonia is this,
that the bony part of the Ifis is jointed, which is not fo
in the Gorgonia. Thefe joints are an admirable contrivance
of Nature, to fecure the brittle branches of thefe
animals from being torn to pieces. Without this, they
could not arrive to the height of which fome of them are
found, viz. of two or three feet: for by bending freely
to and fro with thefe foft joints, they eafily refill the violent
motions o f the fea. When the animals grow old,
their Items have no more joints, that part being then
ftrong enough to withftand the force of the waves. The
foft geniculations then are only found in the flenderer
parts of the branches.
I . Ifis ochracea. fainted Red Coral.
Ifis ftirpe erofo-Jlriata
lapidea rubra dichotoma
explanata ramofijftma articulât
a, geniculis nodofis
J'pongiofis fulvis, carnefla-
vrfeente, ofcitlis Jlellatis,
polypes o&otentaculatos ob-
ducentibiis.
This Ifis has a ftony ftem,
irregularly channelled, as if
eaten into ; the branches are
many, dichotomous, and fpread
o u t; the joints are conne&ed
by deep yellow fpongy knobs.
The flefh is of a pale yellow,
full of ftarry mouths, that cover
polypes with eight claws.
Red Coral from the Eajl Indies. Ellis Philof. Tranf.
Vol. 50, pag. 189. tab. 3.
Ifs'ochracea. Linn. Syft. Nat. Ed. 12. pag. 1287.
This beautiful Ifis is found in the Eaft-Indian Ocean
among the fpice iflands. It is fo very liable to fall to
pieces,- when dry, that good fpecimens of it are very rare.
There is likewife a variety of it, whofe ftony part and flefh
are quite white ; but the fpongy geniculations are of a
brownifh yellow.
2. Ifis Elippuris.
Ifis ßirpe articulata lapidea,
ramulis fparfis, offe
articulis cylindricis lapideis
albis fulcatis, internodiis
corneis nigris conflrichs
Black and White jointed Coral. T a b . 3.
Fig . i—5
This Ifis has a jointed ftony
ftem, which rifes into many
loofe branches. The, bone or
fupport of the animal confifts
of white, cylindrical, ftony,
P ‘ 'connexis,