nates ereatly over the animal one. The Lithophytes 

 are confidered as the actual builders of the fubftance 

 which they appear to inhabit, as in the Madrepores, 

 and other hard or ftony corals ; but the Zoophytes are 

 (according to the Linnaeari idea) to be confidered as 

 a kind of real vegetables, furniihed with animated flow- 

 ers, which, by a peculiar procefs of nature, difplay them- 

 felves from the ramifications in the form of real ani- 

 mals of the Polype tribe. 



Whether this idea be ftriclly philofophical may well 

 be queftioned ; and perhaps the opinion of Mr. Ellis, 

 viz. that the ramified or fuppofed vegetable part, is 

 a meer bafis or fupport formed by the animals which 

 inhabit it, is the moft probable opinion of the two. 



Thefe animals arc generally of an appearance more 

 or lefs refembling the Hydra, or Polype genus. The 

 genus Gorgonia, to which our prefent fubjecft belongs, 

 is one of the moft elegant of the Zoophyte tribe. It 

 contains a great number of fpecies, fome of which are 

 nearly of a fimple or unbranched ftrudturc, while 

 others are very much ramified, and fome are alfo reti- 

 culated ; it is in this latter divifion of the genus, that 

 this fpecies is to be arranged. 



This beautiful coral is found on the coafts of the 

 Mediterranean, and thofe of both the Indies ; adhering 

 to rocks or other fubftances, which may aiford it a 

 fteady balls. 



It is frequently of a very large iize, viz. two or 

 three feet in length; and it is often proliferous in a 

 moft elegant manner. Its general colour is a beauti- 

 ful purple, tinged with yellowifh ; but in point of co- 



loiu* 



