76 GORGONIA. 



I have made an obfervation before on the caufe whv 

 the circles of calcareous matter are now and then to 

 be found in the horizontal fe&ions of the ftems and 

 trunks of the horny Gorgonias. I fhall now give an- 

 other example in what manner this may happen, to con- 

 firm what I have faid before. 



Let us examine fig. i. pi. 2. and we fhall obferve 

 diftinclly the bone of one Gorgonia inclofing, and formed 

 over that of another of the fame kind. The Tree Oyfters 

 and Wormfhell at A. had certainly fixt to the flrfl: or in- 

 nermoft branch, fo that this mafs of fhells appears to 

 have killed its flefhy part. The fucceeding Gorgonia 

 fpreading itfelf over and round the flrfl:, extends itfelf 

 likewife over a great part of the fhells, and when it had 

 almoft reached the ends of the branches of the firft, it 

 was torn off and thrown on fhore, in which bare fitua- 

 tion, diverted of its Hem, I received it from the Weft 

 Indies. This fliews us plainly how the calcareous matter 

 or dead flefh of the one may be inclofed by the bone of 

 the other, and form thofe loofe calcareous circles which, 

 we fo often meet with in crofs fections of thefe bodies. 



If then the bark of the Gorgonias is infifted on to be 

 ftmilar to the bark of trees, this queftion will naturally 

 arife : Is it the nature of trees to inclofe their outward 

 bark, fo that their rough bark may be diftinguifhed fome 

 years after among their regular annual circles, when the 

 tree is cut horizontally ? This I believe has fcarce been 

 feen by the moft diligent inveftigator of nature. 



In my EfTay on Corallines, pag. 61. tab. 26. I have 

 given an account of the lingular growth of the Gorgonia 

 Flabellum. This account was introduced there to fhew 

 that the friable calcareous part was not formed of acci- 

 dental infe&s, fuch as might and do infeft fea-plants ; 



but 



