Mr. ellis on the Gorgonia . 5 
deriving a firmnefs proportioned to its bulk. By means 
of thefe like wife, it repairs any deficiencies arifing either 
from accident or natural decay, by which the life of the 
whole would be endangered. At fig. 2. c, d, the broken 
fie hi in the gorgonia flabellum is ftrengthened and made 
firm by the lateral reticulations being covered over with 
the horny fubfiance by means of thefe flefiiy tubes and 
polype fuckers. This is very different from any natural 
repairs of broken or wounded branches in trees. Befides,. 
thefe tubes extend themfelves any way, creeping over 
every fubfiance which may ferve for their fupport and 
prefervation of the animal, throwing out the horny or 
ojfeous juice to make the whole texture firmer. This 
wonderful contrivance of nature is certainly inftindl in 
this low order of animals. To give a better idea of this 
kind of inftindl, and to fhew in what it differs from what is 
called radication in plants, with which fome people, for v 
want of better information, are apt to confound it, I have 
given a figure of the manner in which the JluJlra foil ace a 
faftens itfelf to Ihells, fee fig. 4. This figure is a little 
magnified, to fhew the form of the cells, as they have 
fpread themfelves over the furface of the fcollop fhelL 
The advocates for the vegetation of zoophytes , I hope, will 
be convinced, that the part that flicks to the flre.ll is not a 
root, but only a fingle courfe or layer of cells of the fame 
animal. As it riles into leaf-like branches they be- 
come double, or two layers of cells, placed in fuch an 
oppofition to one another as to ftrengthen the whole, 
like the cells in the honey-comb; and what is very lin- 
gular, the narrow part of the ftem near the fiiell, often 
1 con fills 
