G O R G O N I A. 



91 



Red Coral. Ellis Corallin. pag. 93. tab. 35. fig. a. 

 Ifis nobilis. Linn. Syft. Nat. Ed. 12. pag. 1288. 



The characters of this moft valuable, as well as beau- 

 tiful animal, have been fully defcribed by the celebrated 

 Donati, in the Philofophical T'ranfactions. Fie was fo 

 kind as to fend me a fpecimen, with the polypes extended, 

 preferved in fpirits ; it was fpom this, that I have had the 

 figure drawn in tab. 13. fig. 4. In another fpecimen. 

 which he fent me I difcovered the eggs, in differing the 

 cells, which are fmall round bodies, as in the other Gor- 

 gcnias. 



Though Dr. Linnsus has called this animal an Ifis, he 

 informs me, that I have more properly ranged it among 

 the Gorgonias. The genus of Ifis is fufficiently diftin- 



ifhed by its joints, as I fhall fhew hereafter. 



17. Gorgonia craffa. 



Gorgonia teres dichoto- 

 ma, ramis crajfis virgatis 

 divaricatis afcendentibus^ 

 car?ie violacea crajfir, of- 

 culis prominulis csquidi- 

 ftantibiiS) po typos oEioten- 

 t acuta to s marginibus cir- 

 ratis exferentibuS) ojjejub- 

 fufco corneo. 



FleJJjy Gorgon. 



This Gorgon is round and 

 dichotomous, with long ficfhy 

 branches, which bend a little 

 out, and then grow upright. 

 The flefh is of a violet color, 

 plump, and full of little riling 

 mouths, difpofed on the fur- 

 face near one another at equal 

 diflances : thefe fend forth po- 

 lypes with eight claws, that 

 have fmall fibres on each fide. 

 The bone is of a dark brown 

 color, like horn. 



N 2 hithophyton 



