84 Natural History Bulletin. 



nearly as large as the total of the shoal water or reef corals of 

 the same region, if we reduce the number of the latter to its 

 proper proportions by the rejection of merely nominal species. ^" 

 Probabl}' the most beautiful simple coral secured by us was a 

 Dcltocxathus italicus. This exquisite little disc-shaped coral is 

 noted for being a li\'ing fossil, as it were, being found living 

 on the Portales Plateau and other parts of the Gulf Stream, 

 and fossil in the Miocene rocks of Italy. We found excellent 

 specimens of both forms figured by Agassiz in '• Three 

 Cruises of the Blake."' None of our specimens showed any 

 indication of a base of attachment. Other genera represented 

 were Rhizotrochiis. Carvof/iylh'a. Paracvcifhiis and Thccopsaiu- 

 niia. K small branching form was also secured with slender 

 costate calicles, from the upper walls of which other individual 

 calicles spring. The most conspicuous coral here was a pro- 

 fusely branching form which appears to be Axohclla niirahilis. 

 although the original description of this species is not at hand. 

 The specimen secured has a remarkably hispid surface, with 

 calicles having ten to twelve exserted septa, giving it the ap- 

 pearance of an Ociilina. An unusual character is the preva- 

 lence of ten septa to each calicle, the number twelve appearing 

 to be exceptional. The corallum is huffy or creamy white, 

 with brown polyps. 



To those accustomed to the shallow-water Hydrocorallina:\ 

 the deep-water forms are a revelation. The daintiest '' coral " 

 secured was the Stxiastcr filograiins. with its exquisite lace-like 

 tracery of delicate branchlets and its rosy hue. Unfortunately, 

 the beautiful color had altogether disappeared before we 

 reached home. PliohatJuts syniiiictn'ais is, as its name implies, 

 a form characterized by unusual symmetr}-, being fan-shaped 

 with a number of regularly disposed palmate branches, Dis- 

 tichopora coutorta has curiously bent branches, along the 

 edges of which are double ridges with deep furrows between. 

 The gastrozoids inhabit large pores arranged in an irregular 

 double row along the bottom of the furrow, while the dactylo- 



1 Report on Corals and A:itipa'.h:iria by L. F. PourtaU'.s. Biillcliii Mus. Conip. 

 Zool.. Vol. yi.. No. 4. 



