150 A. E. Verrill—Bermudian and West Indian Reef Corals. 



The figured specimens are from Colon (Yale Mus.). They differ 

 somewhat from Lesueur's type, in the size and depth of the calicles. 

 This form may be distinguished as var. faveolata Ver. It was 

 attached by a stout pedicel. No. 1201. 



Agaricia nobilis Ver., sp. nov. 



PMycedium elephantotus Edw. and Hairne, Hist. Corall., iii, p. 74, 1860. 

 (Syn. excl., non Pallas sp.). 



Plate XXVIII. Figures 1, 2. 



Coral grows in the form of broad, rounded, thin, foliaceous 

 fronds, attached by a central pedicel. The frond may be flat, or 

 concave, or variously bent and lobed, but when young and normal 

 it is round and cup-shaped or salver-shaped. It is very hard and 

 translucent, so that though very thin, especially towards the mar- 

 gins, it is stronger than most thin corals. The under side is finely 

 and nearly evenly covered by fine costal riblets and striae; these 

 costoe are finely granulated on their edges. 



The upper side is loosely covered with rather large, deep, promi- 

 nent, appressed, stellate calicles. These are irregularly arranged ; 

 many stand singly ; but most are in pairs, or series of three to six 

 or more, in front of short, rather prominent, curved, obtuse-angled 

 collines, having the longer proximal slopes concave and often tabu- 

 lated, with swellings corresponding to each calicle. The short 

 collines, when supporting one to three calicles, are crescent-shaped in 

 outline, and look like curved brackets. 



The calicles are inclined strongly outward, except those near the 

 center ; the central pit is rather large and deep, usually without a 

 columella, but some of the calicles may have a small, solid, tuber- 

 culiform one. 



The septa are alternately larger and smaller ; usually there are 

 36 to 48 in the larger calicles, of which 16 to 24 are much the 

 larger and thicker. The summits are prominent and angular ; the 

 inner edges of the outer septa descend abruptly, while those of the 

 outer side are angulated at the top and concave above, and usually 

 below, the angle. The edges of the septa are very finely serrulate 

 or granulate. 



The septo-costse are of variable length, but usually rather long, 

 especially towards the margin ; their lengths are from 5 to 12 mm or 

 more, but mostly about 10 mm . They are regularly alternately larger 

 and smaller, the larger ones being distinctly thickened, while the 

 smaller ones are thin and much lower. Their edges are verv evenly, 

 microscopically serrulate or granulate. 



