360 CATALOGUE OF PORITES AND SYNAR^A. 



iu diameter. The branches are alive for 10 to 40""" only. Color of 

 living specimens yellow. A similar specimen in the old collection is 

 labeled Tortugas. 



Bermuda. — From this region, Avhich is represented by a unmber of 

 specime'js, we recognize two general forms of growth, coiniected by in- 

 termediate varieties. One is said to be from more shallow water than 

 the other and has a stunted appearance, probably due to its being more 

 or less exposed or brought close to the surface during spring tides. 

 The deeper water variety (PI. XVIII, fig. 1) consists of moderately stout, 

 numerous, ramifying, sometimes coalescing branches, dividing at very 

 unequal intervals, more or less siuuose, and Ibrmiug rather dense 

 clumps, more dense than the similar growths from the Tortugas, of which 

 there are several in the collection. The lower branches are often much 

 thickened, but not consolidated. The upper branches are usually about 

 10 to 20'"'" thick, circular or more or less compressed, proliferous, the 

 branchlets divergent, blunt, and rounded at the tips or enlarged and 

 furcate. 



The shallow- water variety (PL XVII, fig. 2) forms very irregular clumps 

 and masses, which are generally nearly or quite solid below and some- 

 times much filled in above. These clumps may be low and spreading 

 or of moderate height, the largest one iu the collection measuring 

 IS*"" in width and IV^ in height. The branching is similar to that 

 described above as occurring in the specimens from Eastern Dry Rocks, 

 Florida, and in the single specimen with solid base from the Tortugas, 

 but exhibits greater variatiou and is difficult to define. The most de- 

 pressed specimen is slightly convex above and consists of very irregu- 

 lar, more or less flattened, rather broad, lobed, and digitate- branches or 

 processes, spreading laterally and to a slight extent vertically, and 

 coalescing so as to leave comparatively few irregular openings. Most 

 of the other specimens have a much greater tendency toward vertical 

 growth and are composed of comparatively few, ascending, generally 

 divergent, moderately proliferous branches, arising from a more or less 

 solid base, very stout below, and tapering rapidly or gradually. The 

 branches often assume very peculiar shapes, and are usually somewhat 

 bent or twisted ; starting close together at the base, they may be 

 widely separated or nearly contiguous above; sometimes simple through- 

 out, at others dividing once or twice, stout and rounded at the tips or 

 enlarged and bifurcate. They may measure 30"'™ or more in diameter 

 at the base, and vary in length generally from 35 to 50"'"^. The cells 

 iu both varieties are usually shallow, never very deep, 1 to 2"^"^ in di- 

 ameter, subcircular in places, in others more or less crowded and 

 angular. 



Nassau, Neic Providence.— The steamer Albatross brought from Nas- 

 sau, in 18SG, a few small imperfect specimens which apparently repre- 

 sent both clavaria and f areata. The stouter forms referred doubtlully 

 to clavaria are branched to a very limited extent and provided with 



