43. PLEUROCORALLIUM. 23 



Gorgonia pretiosa, Solander $ Ellis, Zooph. p. 90, t. 13. 



Corallium rubrum, Cavolini, Polip. Mar. t. 2 ; Lamk. Syst. p. 378 ; 



Kolliker, Ic. Hist. t. 16. f. 8, 9; Milne-Edw. $ Haime, Coratt. i. 



p. 201 ; Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 126. 

 Corallium nobile, Ehrenb. C. r. M. p. 130; Dana, Expl. Exped. p. 140 ; 



Gray, P. Z. &1857, p. 287. 



Hob. Mediterranean. 



According to Risso, the animal almost always grows hanging from 

 the underside of shelving rocks. The best coral is fished up from 

 about 80 fathoms water ; at 130 fathoms they are only found of 

 a small size, and the animal ceases to reproduce its kind. It is 

 sometimes found in only 15 fathoms water. He also described a 

 reddish variety which is found in from 30 to 40 fathoms water, in 

 the Mediterranean. 



The rocks on which the coral is found are from 350 to 650 feet 

 deep. It is said to attain a much greater perfection in places 

 situated to the east than to the south; it is rarely found in a 

 western, and never in a northern aspect. The fishermen divide the 

 tract from the entrance of the Taro of Messina to the church of the 

 Grotha into ten parts, and fish in one of the divisions in succession 

 every year, so that the coral of each division is allowed ten years to 

 grow ; the average crop is 3000 Ibs. per year. The fishery is con- 

 sidered a secondary and laborious occupation, and only followed by 

 the fishermen when other employment cannot be obtained. (See 

 Conch. Cornpan. p. 34.) 



For the structure, growth, &c., consult M. L. Duthier's ' Histoire 

 Naturelle du Corail ; organisation, reproduction, peche en Algerie, 

 Industrie et commerce.' Paris, 1864 : 346 pages, and 20 coloured 

 plates. 



Ellis (Phil. Trans. 1. t. 34. f. 10), finding red barnacles growing 

 on a red coral, suggests that probably the fire-red tint of the coral 

 might have been communicated to the barnacles as they grew 

 together. 



43. PLEUROCORALLIUM. 



*' Coral branching in a plane. Polype-cells scarcely raised, con- 

 fined to one surface, mostly near the apex of the very small branch- 

 lets, and often in twos." 



The branchlets in the figure are chiefly confined to one edge of the 

 branchlets. 



Pleurocorallium, Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 126. 



102. Pleurocorallium secundum. 



Ramulose, branching in a plane ; polypes confined to one surface, 

 mostly placed at the apex of very small branchlets, and often in twos ; 

 axis calcareous, smooth, pale red or whitish ; crust scarlet. 



Corallium secundum, Dana, Expcd. p. 641, t. 60. f. 1 ; Gray, P. Z. 8. 



1857, p. 287 ; Milne-Edw. Corail. i. p. 205. 

 Pleurocorallium secundum, Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 126. 



Hab. Sandwich Islands ; 5 inches high. 



