93 



The axis central, caulescent, and ramose, formed of 

 stony striated portions, connected by a contracted horny 

 substance. 



The cortical part, in a living state, is fleshy and polypi- 

 ferous ; but separates entirely or partly from the stem, on 

 being removed from the water. 



1. Isishippuris. . . . Sol. and Ellis, Tab. iii. fig. 1 — 5. 



2. — elongata. . . . Esper i. Tab. vi. 



3. — dichotoma. . . . Esper. i. Tab. v. 



4. — encrinula. . . . Seas of New Holland. 



5. — coralloides. . . . South Seas. 



The disjointed members of some species of this genus 

 were found by Scilla in the mountains of Sicily, and he at 

 first believed them to be the tibice of some animal ; but on 

 referring to Imperatus (Hist. Nat. lib. 27), he was soon 

 convinced of his mistake, and enabled to trace them to their 

 real origin*. 



Antipathes. — A fixed, subdendroidal polypifer, composed 

 of a central axis, and a corticiform, fugacious and deciduous 

 crust. 



The axis is flattened and fixed at its base ; it is cau- 

 lescent, subramose, horny, solid, flexible, rather fragile, and 

 mostly set with small spines. 



The cortical crust is gelatinous and polypiferous, covering 

 the living axis and branches, and falling oflP on the removal 

 of the specimen from the water. 



Antipathes spiralis, Sol. and ElHs, Tab. xix. fig. 1 — 6 ; 

 Pall. Zooph. p. 217 ; Esper. 2, Tab. viii. may be referred to 

 as the type of the genus of which seventeen species have 

 been particularized. 



Gorgonia. — A fixed dentroidal polypifer, composed of a 

 central axis and a corticiform crust. 



* De Corporibus marinis lapidescentibus. Tab. xix. Organic Re- 

 mains, &c. vol. ii. p. 72, pi. viii. fig. 2, 4, 7, 9. 



