Mr. ellis on the Gorgonia. 1 1 
Hem or bone of a gorgonia , to which we find feveral tree 
oyfters and other lhells have adhered. Thefe fhell-fiill 
leem to have killed the gorgonia ; for the fame item feems 
to be covered over with another gorgonia of the fame 
kind; which in its growth hath almoft covered the 
lhells, and likewife the branches to which they were 
fattened, leaving only part of the ends of the branches 
of the firft gorgonia yet uncovered. The lize and weight 
of the fhells probably gave the waves fo great a power 
over the ftem, that it was at laft broken off, and caft on 
fhore in the ftate in which it is here reprefented. This 
inftance of a gorgonia growing over one of its own kind, 
feems fuflicient to account for the circle of calcareous mat- 
ter found now and then in the crofs lections of old Items, 
between the horny circles, as hath been obferved by Dr. 
pallas, Elenc.h. Zooph. p. 162. “ Interje£to quandoque 
“ tenui materiae calcareae ftrato.” But, I believe, no one 
hath ever feen the bark of trees inclofed in the fame man- 
ner in the inner circles of the wood ; and indeed it is fo 
contrary to the laws of vegetation, that Di'.pallas hath not 
attempted to account for it, by Brewing any parallel in- 
ftances in the tranfverle le6lions of timber. Ano- 
ther inftance of the manner of growing of thefe ani- 
male is ftill more remarkable, fee fig. 2. where the upper 
part of the gorgonia Jiabellum meeting with an obftruc- 
tion in growing upwards, has grown downwards over its 
own ilefhy fubftance, and has evidently inclofed and co- 
vered over its own reticulated branches, with a continu- 
ation of its own flefh and bone. Dr. pallas, in a note on 
the growth of the gorgonia, hath the following extraor- 
C 2 dinary 
