76 G O R G O N I A. 



I have made an obfervation before on the caufe why 

 the circles of calcareous matter are now and then to 

 be found in the horizontal fections of the ftems and 

 trunks of the horny Gorgonias. I fhall now give an- 

 other example in what manner this may happen, to con- 

 firm what I have faid before. 



Let us examine fig. i. pi. 2. and we fhall obferve 

 diftindtly the bone of one Gorgonia inclofing, and formed 

 over that of another of the fame kind. The Tree Oyfters 

 and Wormfhell at A. had certainly fixt to the firft or in- 

 nermoft branch, fo that this mafs of fhells appears to 

 have killed its flefliy part. The fucceeding Gorgonia 

 fpreading itfelf over and round the firft, extends itfelf 

 likewife over a great part of the fhells, and when it had 

 almoft reached the ends of the branches of the firft, it 

 was torn off and thrown on fhore, in which bare fitua- 

 tion, divefted of its flefh, I received it from the Weft 

 Indies. This fhews us plainly how the calcareous matter 

 or dead flefh of the one may be inclofed by the bone of 

 the other, and form thofe loofe calcareous circles whick 

 we fo often meet with in crofs fections of thefe bodies. 



If then the bark of the Gorgonias is infilled on to be 

 fimilar to the bark of trees, this queftion will naturally 

 arife : Is it the nature of trees to inclofe their outward 

 bark, fo that their rough bark may be diftinguifhed fome 

 years after a*mong their regular annual circles, when the 

 tree is cut horizontally ? This I believe has fcarce been 

 ken by the moft diligent inveftigator of nature; 



In my Effay on Corallines, pag. 6r. tab. 26. I have 

 given an account of the lingular growth of the Gorgonia 

 Flabellum. This account was introduced there to fhew 

 that the friable calcareous part was not formed of acci- 

 dental infect fuch as might and do infeft fea-plants 1 

 s ' but 



