644 ZOOPHYTES. 



3. BRIAREUM ARBOREUM. (Pallas.} Dana. 



B. carnoso-suberosum, grandis (3'), arbor escens ; laxe ramosa, ramisjuni- 

 oribus nodosis, nodis potissimum polypigeris ; polypis magnis ; extus 

 rubrum aut jtavidum, intus subflavidum et suberosum. 



Carnoso-suberose ; large (3 feet) and arborescent, sparingly and lax 

 ramose ; younger branches nodose, with the protuberances espe- 

 cially polypiferous ; polyps large ; exterior surface red or yellow ; 

 within yellowish and suberose. 



Norwegian Sea. 



Akyonium arboreum, Pallas. Zooph., 347. , Lamour., Pol. flex., 335 ; Encyc., 23. 



, Esper, iii., tab. 1, 1 A, 1 B. Lobularia arborea, Ehrenberg, Gen. xxv., 



, Lamk. ii. 506. sp. 11. 



GENUS IV. GORGONIA. 



Gorgonidce axem corneum inarticulatum elaborantes corticemque sub- 

 cakaream ; polypis retractilibus, retractis, cortice sive kvi sive verru- 

 cosd ; verrucis Jixis. 



Gororonidse forminor an inarticulate corneous axis and a subcalcareous 



o o 



cortex ; polyps retractile, surface, on retraction, either smooth or 



verrucose; verrucas not movable. 



H'f' 



The species differ much in the position of the polyps, and the per- 

 sistence and thickness of the cortex, and the existence or not of ver- 

 rucEe, when the polyps are retracted. The animals may be scattered 

 irregularly over the whole surface, or they may range in series or 

 bands on opposite sides only of the stems and branches ; and some of 

 the latter become, in consequence of this seriate arrangement, laterally 

 winded, or have the branches much flattened. The cortex consists of 



O ' 



the layer of polyps, with a variable proportion of calcareous matter, 

 secreted within their texture : it is at times like paper in thinness, 

 and in other species is thick and spongy. It sometimes falls off so 



- A,'*** 



