VEKRILL ON THE POLYPS OF THE 



Sub-order II. GoRGONiDiE. 



GorgomadcB Fleming, History of British Animals (1828). Gorgonidce Dana, Milne-Edwards, 

 and most other authors. Sarcophyta (pars) Gray, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist, 1859, p. 443. 



This division, of which the characters have been briefly indicated above, embraces several 

 families, of which the following are the principal: Gorgonincc Ehrenberg, Plexauridce Gray, 

 Primnoaccce M.-Edw., Gorgonellacece Val., Isidce Lamx., CoraUince Dana, Briaracece M.-Edw. 

 The first three and the last of these are represented on our coast. 



Family Gorgonesle Ehrenberg (restricted). 



Gorgoniees (pars) Lamouroux, Poly piers Flexibles (1816). Gorgonincc (pars) Ehrenberg, 

 Dana, Milne-Edwards and Habie, etc. Gorgonacece (pars) Milne-Edwards, Coralliaires. 



The species of this family are usually much branched in a pinnate or furcate manner, and 

 have alw r ays a tendency to spread in a plane, forming a flattened or fan-shaped, often re- 

 ticulated, frond ; very rarely they are simple. The cells are arranged on the edges of the 

 branches, either in regular longitudinal series or in irregular bands, leaving on each side 

 a naked median space, often marked by a groove, due to the contraction of the tissues 

 while drying, above the longitudinal ducts, two of which are always much larger than the 

 rest and pass along the middle of each branch, one on each side, while the smaller ones 

 correspond in number to the linear rows of polyps, beneath which they pass. The axis 

 is horn-like, generally slender and flexible, often compressed. 



Genus Gorgonia Linn, (restricted). 

 Eunicea (pars) Ehrenberg (1834). Gorgonia Milne-Edwards, Coralliaires (1857). 



Corallum much branched, frequently in a plane ; branchlets slender, cells in two or more 

 rows on the edges of the branches, leaving a narrow median space, prominent, rising in the 

 form of papillae above the surface of the coenenchyma, which is usually thin. 



This genus is nearly allied to Lcptogorgia, and differs chiefly in the prominent cells, which 

 are not capable of being contracted so as to become level with the general surface ; while in 

 the latter, though the cells are often a little prominent and verruciform, they seem to 

 admit of complete contraction. 



Gorgonia humilis Dana. 



Gorgonia humilis Dana, Zouph. Expl. Exp., p. 663 (1846). 



Corallum low, much and irregularly branched and subdivided, sometimes flattened nearly 

 into a plane ; smaller branches subpinnate ; branchlets slender, short, irregular, usually 

 bent. Cells small, crowded on the edges of the branchlets in two or three rows, mod- 

 erately and uniformly prominent. Coenenchyma minutely granular, with well-marked 

 longitudinal grooves. Axis broadly expanded at the base, dark horn-color in the larger 

 branches, yellow and very slender setiform in the branchlets. Color uniform reddish 



