1837.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 363 



" Growing in bunches in about 2 feet of water, forming wide belts 

 among sponges and grass ; dark yellow in color." (E. Palmer.) 



Key West. — The K'ey West specimens differ from the above mainly in 

 having less regular branches, forming more open clumps which have 

 seldom the same neat appearance. The structure is less firm, the cells 

 more irregular and crowded, and measure from 1 to 1.75™°» across. 

 Branching takes place at intervals of 5 to 20'""'. 



Gape Florida. — A number of specimens from near Cape Florida corre- 

 spond with those from the Tortugas in the mode of branching and 

 character of the cells, but they are mostly overgrown with nullipores 

 and sponges which have prevented a thick growth in most cases, the 

 clumps being very irregular and the branches alive only toward the 

 ends. Oue dense clump starts below from a single stem and attains a 

 height of 13°", being inverted couical in shape. There are about six 

 branchings within that height, and the branches and branchlets are 

 most!}' directed upwards and closely placed, but are very irregular. 

 ^' Very abundant, their yellow heads just protruding from the sea- 

 weeds, grass, &c., on a bar a little southwest of the old light-house tower 

 of Cape Florida." (Palmer.) 



Stock Island., near Key West (PI. XV, fig. 3). — From the neighborhood 

 of Stock Island, about 6 miles northeast of Key West, there are many 

 specimens which may be regarded as transitional between /«rc«^a and 

 the more slender ramose forms of clavaria, both in mode of growth and 

 in the character of the cells. The writer is very uncertain as to their 

 position, and they may be only extreme forms of the variety of clavaria 

 •occurring in this region, which is described above. Starting generally 

 from a single stem, each specimen divides irregularly at more or less 

 •distant intervals, the branches divergent and often growing in nearly 

 the same plane, forming open clumps or consisting of but few widely 

 separated branches. The branches have about the same shape as in 

 the common form of furcata, but are generally more regular and some- 

 what stouter, measuring on an average from 10 to 13°'™ in diameter. 

 The cells measure from 1.5 to 2.5""°, are usually more regular and less 

 crowded than in the Key West and Tortugas forms, often subcircular 

 in outline, and generally shallow. The specimens were collected at 

 several places near together and each lot exhibits certain i)eculiarities, 

 some tending in the direction of clavaria and others towards furcata. 

 According to Dr. E. Palmer, one lot was from " grassy" bottom in 2 

 feet of water, the specimens being yellow in color; while another was 

 found growing on a smooth base in 7 to 9 feet of water, the specimens 

 violet in color. 



Cccsar^s Creel; 17 miles south of Cape Florida (PI. XVII, fig. 1). — Speci- 

 mens from this locality resemble the above in mode of branching and 

 in the size of the branches, but they form larger and denser clumps, 

 the relatious of which are eveu more doubtful than those from Stock 

 Island. In their general habit they certainly approach nearer the 



