CORALS. 249 



There are also the Gorgonia flabellum, sometimes 

 called the Sea-fan, Flabellum Veneris, or Venus' 

 fan. It grows in the form of a net, with its 

 branches compressed inwardly. The bone is black, 

 horny, and slightly striated on the large branches. 



We have many other beautiful species ; among 

 which, we shall describe the following : — 



The Gorgonia anceps is branched nearly in a 

 subdivided manner. The bone is roundish, being 

 small at the ends, of a horny nature, somewhat in- 

 clining to leather. The Gorgonia verrucosa is much 

 and irregularly branched, the branches spreading 

 laterally, being cylindrical, flexuous, barked when 

 dry with a white warted crust. The segments of 

 the cells are unequal and obtuse. The Gorgonia 

 placomus has irregular branches, which are disposed 

 in a dichotomous order, of a flattish form, cylindrical, 

 and warty; the cells are protuberant and conical, 

 and are surrounded at the top by little spines. The 

 Gorgonia lepidifera is dichotomous ; it is almost 

 covered with mouths, which are placed close toge- 

 ther, hanging oyer one another. These mouths 

 are bell-shaped, bent downwards, and full of small 

 scales. The flesh is covered with minute whitish 

 scales. There is in the larger branches testaceous sub- 

 stances like bone, and the smaller ones resemble horn. 



