G O R G O N I A. 



bone formed fmall at the bafe, and the flefh thicker, yet 

 tapering to the end. The Pennatula Encrinus, which I 

 had described fome years ago under the title of Hydra 

 ar&ica, or Great Greenland Polype (fee Effay on Corall. 

 tab. 37. and Phil. Tranf. Vol. 48. tab. 12. pag. 305.) 

 will iliuftrate the nature of the bony part of thefe ani- 

 mals, where at fig. H. a crofs feclion of the bone magni- 

 fied reprefents the different laminss, mewing the manner 

 of their increafe in proportion to the growth of the ani- 

 mal and the fquare form of the bone. 



There is fomething amazing in the manner that the 

 Gorgonias take to fix themfelves to rocks and other hard 

 bodies in the fea, to be able to withftand the impetuofity 

 of the waves. This wonderful contrivance of Nature is 

 certainly inffcincl: in this low order of animals. How 

 pleafing it is to view the various turns and windings of the 

 beautiful, thin, fpread, fcarlet bafe, formed by the bone 

 and flefh of the Gorgonia pretiofa, or common Red 

 Coral. 



In the Philofophical Tranfactions, Vol. 50. tab. 34. 

 fig. 10. is the figure of a remarkable groupe of Red Bar- 

 nacles, called the Tulip Barnacle, covered partly with the 

 bafe of a G. pretiofa, or Red Coral. This red appear- 

 ance of the Barnacles fuggefted to me, when I wrote that 

 Memoir, that the fine red tint of the Coral might have 

 been communicated to the Barnacles, as thev both grew 

 together. This rare fpecimen is in the curious cabinet of 

 Dr. J. Fothergill, F. R. S. 



Every good collection of Red Coral from the Mediter- 

 ranean is full of examples, where not only Barnacles 

 and Wormfhells, but even fmall branches of the white 

 Madrepores are totally covered over with the bone or hard 

 part of the Red Coral. 



L 2 I have 



75 



