308 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1890. 



807 — X, pi. 7, figs. 9, 9a). This identification is, I believe, erro- 

 neous. Cladocora stellaria is a Mediterranean species, and is dis- 

 tinguished by a shallow cup ; in the form from the Mexican Gulf 

 the cup is deep, almost profound. The species is likewise distinct 

 from that figured as Cladocora arbxiscida in Agassiz's report on the 

 Florida Reefs. 



Plexaura (Gorgonia; flexuosa, Lamour. Gorgonia angniculus, Dana (U. S. Ex- 

 ploring Expedition, Zoophytes, p. 668.) 



This is the only species of gorgonian that we obtained in the 

 Vera Cruz waters, but I have little doubt that others are j)resent. 

 We observed, however, none of those large Gorgonia fields which so 

 l)eautify the waters of the Bermudas and excite the wonder of the 

 visitor to those islands. 



We obtained from the shallows about Progreso, northern shore of 

 Yucatan, the Xlj)hlgorgia anceps of Pallas (Elenchus Zoophytorum, 

 p. 183). The species is fairly common there. I feel confident that 

 the Xiphigorgia Guadalupensis of Duchassaing and ^lichelotti 

 (Memoire sur les Coralliaires des Antilles, Mem. Accad. Torino, 2d 

 ser., XIX p. 309, pi. IV, fig. 3) is only this species, and likely the 

 same is true of A"^. Americana of these authors (Op. cit., XXIII (2d 

 ser.) p. 113, pi. II, fig, 6). These investigators, while furnishing 

 good illustrations of their material, have been singularly unfortunate 

 in their determinations and descriptions of species. 



The Reefs. 



The reefs of the A^era Cruz waters consist of a number of detached 

 islands or island banks, from less than half a mile to a mile and a half 

 in length, which extend eastward from the coast line for a distance 

 of nearly six miles. They are known as the Gallega (on which is 

 built the famous Castle of San Juan de Uli'ia) Galleguilla, Blan- 

 quilla, Anegada de Adentro, Isla Verde, Islote de Pajaros and Sac- 

 rificios. Of these, the Gallega, which is separated medially by a 

 channel of water of moderate depth, is the largest, measuring in a 

 north-and-south direction, considerably over a mile. Two other 

 banks of very much smaller dimensions are the Lavandera, lying 

 to the southeast of Gallega, and Terranova, between Sacrificios Isl- 

 and and the Islote de Pajaros. The outer boundaries of these reefs 

 enclose a triangular body of water whose base is the coast line and 

 whose apex is the Anegada de Adentro. 



A second series of reefs begins about eight miles to the southeast, 

 or opposite the promontory of Anton Lizardo, and likewise extends 

 triangularly out to sea. The islets of this series (Arrecife de Cho- 



