304 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1890.. 



Mexico, ai^ well as the northern, like "West Florida, are mostly low, 

 and without reefs ; they are within the influence of the Mississippi 

 and other large rivers" (p. 352). Can it be assumed that all 

 travelers to the region have so far feared a visitation of the yellow 

 fever as to force them to speed their journey in such a way as not to 

 permit an examination of the ground that was about them? Or 

 has this fear kept scientists away generally? I must admit that the 

 ten days of June which I, in company with my associate, Mr. 

 Frank C. Baker, spent in exploring the reefs and sands of Vera 

 Cruz were all that could have been desired, and neither of us ex- 

 perienced any ill effects from out-door labor. When we were 

 not on the water we were on the hot sands, but the highest registry 

 of the thermometer was only 92° F., and after 10 o'clock in the 

 morning the in-draught of cool air from the sea was such as to render 

 travel and work not only tolerable but pleasant. 



The species of coral collected by us are the following : 

 Madrepora prolifera, Lam. 



A very abundantly represented species, rising to within about six 

 feet, or less, of the surface of the water. It corresponds in all essen- 

 tials of structure with specimens of the same species from the Dry 

 Tortugas and from the Florida Reefs generally. 



Madrepora palmata, Lam. 



This magnificent species occurs in association with the above, 

 forming heads from Ave to ten feet, or moVe, in expanse. It covers large 

 areas in the shallower reef-waters, where its rich brown and yellow 

 colors are seen to great advantage. Many of the older speci- 

 mens show the palmations in distinct tiers or series, and not merely 

 on a single plane ; the crateriform protuberances, largely covering 

 anneliditubes, are very abundant, and give to the corallum a sin- 

 gularly striking and robust appearance. 



I feel doubtful if the palmate form of the corallum, as seen in M. 

 palmata, M. flubelluni and M. alces (East Indies), is in itself a char- 

 acter sufficient to distinguish the species from those forms, agreeing 

 with the palmate types in other respects, in which the corallum is 

 strictly digitate. My associate, Mr. J. E. Ives, has called my atten- 

 tion to the tendency -in the direction of digitation which many in- 

 dividuals of the palmate species exhibit. This is carried so far in 

 some of the specimens contained in the collections of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences that it becomes difficult, if not really impossi- 

 ble, to class the individuals. The tendency toward digitation shows 



