io4 ISIS, 



X. I S I S. ISIS, or JOINTED CORAL, 



Animal crcfcens pi ant & Is an animal growing in the 



forma. form of a plant ; 



Stirps lapidea, articu- whofe Item is flony and joint- 



fj2ta 9 articutis Jlriis longi- ed : the joints are furrowed 



tudinaliter exaratis, Jub- longitudinally, and united to- 



Jlantia fpongiofa vel cornea gether, in fome by a fpongy, 



connexis. in others by a horny fubftance. 

 Caro molUor, p or of a It is covered over by a loft 



atque cellulofa, porous and cellular fleili, 



Ofculis polypiferis, ten- full of little mouths, from 



taculalis, oviparis obduBla. whence the polypes with their 



claws come forth, through 

 whom the eggs are produced. 



This genus of 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 flem. This foft part is furnifhed with or- 

 gans 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 Ins and Gorgonia is this, 

 that the bony part of the Ills is jointed, which is not fo 

 in the Gorgonia. Thefe joints are an admirable con- 

 trivance 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 iome oi them are 

 found, viz. of two or three feet : for by bending freely 

 to and fro with thefe foft joints, they eafily refift the vio- 

 lent motions of the fea. When the animals grow old, 

 their (lems have no more joints, that part being then 



fbong 



