HYDROCORALS OF THE :N^0RTH PACIFIC FISHER 525 



characteristic both of the type specimen and the Monterey Bay 

 specimens. Occasionally two cyclosystems are merged into a larger 

 irregular one with two gastrostyles. In A. calif ornica the gastrostyle 

 is really smaller and slenderer than in A. venusta but, w^hen viewed 

 from above, appears to be larger. A section of the cyclosystem shows 

 that only a part of the gastrostyle of venusta can be seen from above, 

 while in calif ornica the entire width is exposed. 



The ampullae lie just under the surface but do not form blisters. 

 Male ampullae (as in type) are very numerous, subspherical, 0.25 to 

 0.4 mm in diameter, and packed between the cyclosystems in one 

 layer, to such an extent that the dividing walls are very thin. The 

 female ampullae are also very numerous, oblate spherical to ellipsoidal, 

 and 0.7 to 1 mm in diameter (pi. 58, fig. 36). 



The coenosteum of the branches, v/hen fractured, is rather porous, 

 but the surface layer is firm and the surface itself has a minutely 

 "sugary" texture. It is sometimes provided with low papilliform 

 prominences, which may be so numerous as to be set apart only once 

 or twice their own diameter all over the surface of the colony ; or they 

 may be nearly absent, only sparsely scattered on terminal twigs 

 (largest colony, male); or practically absent (large colony, female). 

 In addition there is a variable number of papilliform pores (pi. 58, 

 fig. 3), raised orifices of canals descendmg into the coenosteum, often 

 in the walls between ampullae. These are very numerous in a large 

 female colony and are regarded as independent dactylopores. 



Color variable: Coral red, light coral red, coral pmk; jasper pink 

 shading to acajou red and pompeian red, with tips of branches 

 ochraceous-salmon paling to light ochraceous-salmon (largest colony). 

 One branch of largest colon}^ is dull pleroma violet (Ridgway's 

 nomenclature). 



Type.—Veohody Mus. (Yale Univ.) no. 447. 



Type locality. — California. 



Specimens examined. — The type, "California"; Monterey Bay, 

 Calif., 4 colonies, one very large; Carmel Bay, Calif., 1 colony; 

 station 3158, 12 small colonies and fragments; station 3159, fragments. 



Remarks. — I have examined the type colony, of wliich a fragment 

 was kmdly donated for direct comparison wdth my material from 

 Monterey Bay. Verrill states that the type was collected by Maj. 

 "V\illiam Rich during the war between Mexico and the United States 

 and may have come from deep water in the Gulf of California. The 

 Monterey Bay examples are typical and were taken in about 25 fathoms 

 in some cases probably deeper since they were brought up on rock-cod 

 Unes. 



The cyclosystems resemble those of A. verrilli, where, however, the 

 dactylotomes are normally equal. In verrilli the ampullae form low 

 blisters on the surface. A. verrilli has not been taken south of the 



3936—38 3 



