1 6 Mr. ellis on the Gorgonia . 
I come now to the outfide covering or fkin of the 
animal. As few have been at the pains to examine the 
furface of the gorgonia accurately, it hath fcarcely yet 
been noticed, that they are cloathed with a kind of fcales, 
and fome of them fo remarkably covered, and the fcales 
fo well adapted to the particular parts, that one might 
reafonably be induced to think, that nature hath given 
them this defence, as fire hath done in like manner to the 
' * 
feveral parts of lirakes and lizards, as a kind of armour 
to protect them from external injuries. As inltances of 
the above, I fhall only mention, that the furface of the 
Item as well as the mouth of the cells of the gorgonia 
placomns are defended by long pointed fcales, fee EJJay 
on Corallines, p. 27. t. a. 1. to 3.; and the gorgonia 
verticillata (of which an elegant fpecimen is to be feen 
in the Britifh Mufeum) hath alfo very remarkable fcales 
of different fizes round the mouths and on the fkin, fee 
EJJay of Corallines , t. 26./. s. t. The gorgonia lepadifera 
hath a molt remarkable variety, placed like tiles, one over 
another, for the defence of the mouth of the cells that 
inclofe tlr e polype fuckers ; befides, there is afmall kind of 
fcales, that covers the furface of the Item and branches, 
fee fig. 1 2. 
From the fkin we are naturally led to fpeak of the 
fiefh of the gorgonia , or what the modern naturalifls call 
the bark or cortex . Whoever hath examined the fiefh 
of the gorgonia , well preferved at the fea-lide in fpirits, 
will find, on differing them, proper mufcles and tendons 
for extending the openings of their cells; for fending 
forth 
