66 OCULINA. 



Oculina varicosa Lesueur. 



Madrepora mammillarts Ellis ? 

 Oculina varicosa Dana, 

 OcuJinn Peticeri M.-Edw. & 11. 



As pointed out by Mr. Verrill (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., No. 3), this 

 species is entirely different from 0. diffusa, of which M.-Edwards and 

 Haime had supposed it to be a synonyme. Lesueur's description and 

 figure are quite insufficient to determine if he really had this species 

 before him ; it has been, in point of fact, first described by Dana. 



It has not yet been found in Florida in a fully developed state, to my 

 knowledo;e. I have referred to it some branchlets which I had at first 

 described as Oculina disticha (see Deep-Sea Corals, p. 22), dredged off the 

 Eeef. The Museum possesses fine specimens from Bermuda; it has 

 also from the same locality specimens of Oculina pallens, Elirbg., Dana, 

 which is certainly not synonymous with O. diffusa, as supposed by M.- 

 Edwards and Haime. 



Oculina robusta Pourt. 



Corallum sparsely branching ; trunk rather massive (3 to 4 cm. in 

 diameter). Calicles numerous, about 3.5 mm. in diameter and about the 

 same distance apart, with prominent border, forming more or less regular 

 spiral lines. Three cycles ; primary and secondary septa about equal, 

 tertiaries but slightly smaller. Pali small, pointed, not very difierent 

 from the columellar papillae, which are very numerous. Costal striae well 

 marked, much curved, broad and fiat, delicately granidated. 



One specimen (No. 857) in the Museum was received from Dr. 

 Holder at Tortugas, Florida, to whom the Museum is also indebted for 

 a fine series of corals from that vicinit}^ I am informed by Mr. A. 

 Agassiz that there is another fine specimen in the New York Free 

 Academy, from the same locality. 



Oculina arhuscida and Oculina implicala, Ag. Ms. (Verrill, Bull. Mus- 

 Comp. Zool. No. 3) are not found in the reef region. The former is 

 common on the coasts of North and South Carolina, and its northern 

 limit is probably Cape Hatteras. Tlie second is only known from 

 specimens thrown up on the beaches of North Carolina, and has a semi- 

 fossil appearance. 



