MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 31 



Pterogorgia acerosa Ehr. 1834. 



Syx. Gorgonia acerosa (pars) Pallas, Elench. Zooph. p. 172, 1766.; 

 Gorgonia setosa Espkr, Gorg. Tab. 1 7, fig. 1 -3 ; Pterogorgia acerosa Dana, 

 Zooph. p. 649; Pterogorgia pinnata M. Kow. Coral 1. I. p. 1(>8. 



The Gorgonia pinnata of Linnaeus seems to apply more particularly to 

 a European species, entirely distinct from this. — Florida, West Indies, and 

 Bermuda; L. Agassiz, I). F. WVmland. 



Pterogorgia americana Ehr. 1834. 



Syx. Gorgonia americana Gmklin ; Pterogorgia turgida (?) Em:. Corall. 

 roth. Meer. p. l 10, 1S3J ; Pterogorgia pinnata Dana, Zooph.; Pterogorgia 

 Ellisiana M. Edw. Corall. p. 169. 



The Gorgonia americana of Gmelin was based upon tlie figure of Ellis 

 and Solander (l'l. 14, fig. 3), which is a good representation of the species 

 when preserved in alcohol with the polyps expanded. The polyps are 

 much larger than in the two preceding species, and are arranged somewhat 

 irregularly, in two or three rows on each side of the large and nearly cy- 

 lindrical branchlets — Florida; L. Agassiz. 



Pterogorgia bipinnata Verrill. 



Coral broad, flabelliform, branching in a plane. The primary branches 

 arising nearly opposite on the sides of the principal stalk, and about one 

 fourth of an inch apart, spread at a large angle; the principal ones are 

 again pinnate, with their branchlets similarly arranged, and about one and 

 a half inches long. Branchlets slender, strongly compressed, a few of them 

 sometimes coalescing, forming rectangular openings. Cells very small, in 

 two alternating series on the edges of the branches. Color violet or bright 

 yellow. — Cumana, Ven., South America; J. P. Couthouy. 



Leptogorgia virgulata M. Edw. Coralliaires. 1857. 



Syx. Gorgonia virgulata Lamk. 1816; Gorgonia Olivierii Lamx. Polyp. 

 Fiex. 1817; Plexaura virgulata Val. ; Plexaura viminea Val. 1855. — 

 Charleston, (South Carolina ; L. Agassiz. — Beaufort, North Carolina ; 

 A. S. Bickmore. 



Leptogorgia purpurea M. Edw. 1857. 



Syx. Gorgonia purpurea Pal., 17G6; Lrpfooorgia purpurea M. Edw., 

 Corall. p. 1G4 ; Leptogorgia purpuracea M. Edw. 1. c. p. 164. 



This species is very distinct from the preceding in its longer, slender, 

 rounded branches, arising in a fasciculate manner, nearly in a plane. Color 

 purple, red. or orange. — Florida ; G. Wurdemann. 



Leptogorgia sauguinolenta Verrill. 



Syx. Gorgonia sanguinolenta Pal., Elench. Zooph. 17C0. 

 Low, densely branching, somewhat in a plane. Several principal branches, 

 arising near the base, give off from each side in a pinnate manner, numer- 



