GORGONIA, 91 



Red Coral. Ellis Corallin. pag. 93. tab. 35. fig. a, 

 Ifis nobilis. Linn. Syft, Nat. Ed. 12. pag. 1288. 



The chara&ers of this moft valuable, as well as beau- 

 tiful animal, have been fully defcribed by the celebrated 

 Donati, in the Philofophical Tranfactions. He was fo 

 kind as to fend me a fpecimen, with the polypes extended, 

 preferred in fpirits ; it was from this, that I have had the 

 figure drawn in tab. 13. fig. 4. In another fpecimen 

 which he fent me I difcovered the eggs, in differing the 

 cells, which are fmall round bodies, as in the other Gor- 

 gonias. 



Though Dr. Linnaeus has called this animal an Ifis, he 

 informs me, that I have more properly ranged it among 

 the Gorgonias. The genus of Ifis is fufficiently diftin- 

 guifhed by its joints, as I fhall fhew hereafter. 



17. Gorgonia crafTa, Flejhy Gorgon. 



Gorgonia teres dichoto- This Gorgon is round and 



ma^ ramis crajfis virgatis dichotomous, with long flefhy 

 divaricatis afcendentibus^ branches, which bend a little 

 carne violacea crajja^ of- out, and then grow upright. 

 cults frominulis <zquidi- The flefh is of a violet color, 

 JlantibuS) polypos oEioten- plump, and full of little rifing 

 taculatos marginibus cir- mouths, difpofed on the fur- 

 ratis exferentibus^ojfefub- face near one another at equal 

 fufco corneo. diftances : thefe fend forth po- 



lypes with eight claws, that 

 have fmall fibres on each fide. 

 The bone is of a dark brown: 

 color, like horn. 



N 2 Lithophytan 



