2l8 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



Zoarium entirely or mostly adnatc, showing but little tendency to the free, erect growth so common 

 to the species in northern waters, irregularly lobate, in young state rather uniformly flabellate growing 

 on hydroid stems, and in similar situations, the colonies becoming nodular masses of extreme irregular- 

 ity. Zooecia growing in series, more or less alternate and connate, forming prominent radiating ridges, 

 highest at the inner ends. Ooecia usually plentifully developed on older colonies, ooeciostomes opening 

 sidewise, and so not conspicuous when viewed from above. Viewed from the side they appear as large 

 as the zooecial apertures, and of a rounded form. 



Occurs throughout Vineyard Sound, but not very common. Taken also on Sow and Pigs Reef, 

 and in Buzzards Bay near Robinsons Hole. Taken in shallow water on piles at Woods Hole, and 

 dredged in 3 to 15 fathoms; found on eel-grass and algae, and occasionally on hydroid and Bugula 

 Stems and on shells. 



There has been much misunderstanding in regard to this and the following, as well as to other spe- 

 ciesof the genus. Harmer (1. c.)hascarefullygoneoverallthedatainregardtotheseforms, and hasfixed 

 upon the nature of the ooeciostome, a character almost entirely overlooked by the older students of the 

 group, as the best means of determining the species. A study of the form of the zoarium and the 

 arrangement of the zooecia has shown that these characters vary almost endlessly, while the ooecio- 

 stome is quite constant. 



Verrill confused this and the following species, evidently, since both occur on our coast, and I have 

 found them both in material which he dredged for the United States Fish Commission. His reference 

 to the Vineyard Sound material must be placed under this species (as he later recognized), since it is 

 the only one occurring within the waters of the Sound. Verrill 's reference to its habits also indicates 

 that he had this species in Vineyard Sound, though he makes no mention of any other species in the 

 waters of the region. 



Tubulipora flabellaris (Fabricius). [PL xx, fig. n.] 



Fabricius 1780, p. 430 (Tubipora flabellaris). 



Dawson, 1859, p. 257. 



Verrill 18790, p. 28. 



Cornish 1907, p. 78. 



Harmer 1898, p. 99 (synonymy). 



Zoarium entirely adnate as far as I have observed in our specimens, in the young state more or less 

 flabellate, in the older stages the form often becomes discoidal by the edges spreading around so as to 

 inclose the base of the colony. Zooecia sometimes free, sometimes connate, in series, and radially 

 arranged. Ooecia usually plentifully developed on the older colonies, the ooeciostome directed 

 upward, the orifice conspicuously narrowed or compressed from side to side, slit-like, not half as large 

 as the zooecial apertures. 



Taken at Crab Ledge, off Sankaty Head, and Great Round Shoal, on shells and stones, not common. 

 Finely developed colonies on shells dredged on the Nantucket Shoals by the United States Fish Com- 

 mission in 1875. 



Harmer states that "this seems to be an essentially northern species and I have no evidence of its 

 occurrence in British waters." Hincks's species proves to be T. phalangea Couch. The distribution 

 is thus seen to be much farther southward in American than in European waters. 



Genus STOMATOPORA Bronn, 1825. 

 Stomatopora diastoporoides (Norman). [PI. xvm, fig. 12, i2a.] 



Norman 1868, p. 310 (Alecto diasloporoides). 



Zoarium forming a thin irregular crust, usually with a lobed or sinuate outline, milk-white or semi- 

 transparent when fresh, rather coarsely punctate, often transversely striated, reaching a diameter of 

 about }4 inch. Zooecia embedded for the greater part of their length, the free part suberect and short 

 and the apertures well separated; orifice rounded to subelliptical. No ooecia have been noted for this 

 species. 



