Yerrill, Notes on RacUata. 359 



Occurs in patches 6 or 8 inches in diameter, occasionally, on the submerged border 

 of the Recife do Lixo, A.brolhos, but abundantly on the coral reef of Porto Seguro 

 The color is, generally, of a rather bright yellow, but it vaiies much. — c. F. H. 



Order, ALCYONARIA. 



Hymenogorgia quercifolia Edw. and Haime, Coralliaires, i, p. 181. 

 Plate IV, figures 1, 1% 1''. 



This curious species is abundant in the collection from the Abrolhos 

 Reefs. 



It forms broad, fan-shaped fronds, often two feet high and a foot 

 broad, consisting of broad, foliaceous branches, often resembling oak 

 leaves in form ; but at other times large, oval, and irregularly incised 

 or palmate. The branches of the axis are slender and rounded, and 

 pass through the fronds like the midribs of leaves. The rather con- 

 spicuous flat cells are scattered over the sides of the fronds. Color 

 light yellow, usually purplish at base. 



Spicula light yellow and bright purple, of three principal forms. 

 The most abundant are " double-spindles," fusiform, with very acute 

 ends and a naked space around the middle, showing a slender, trans- 

 parent axis, the ends covered with prominent, separate, rough j^apillae, 

 of which eight are visible from a side view, on each end. Another 

 less common form are shorter and stouter " double-spindles," with 

 obtuse ends, narrow naked space at the center, and crowded, rounded 

 papillae. The crescent-shaped spicula are smaller and more slender 

 than the others, with the convex side nearly smooth and strongly 

 arched, usually with a slight indentation at the center. There are, 

 also, some slender, blunt spicula, smaller than the others, and with 

 fewer distant papillae. 



This is a very common species on the Brazilian coast, and ranges from Cape Prio 

 northward to Pernambuco. It is very abundant at the entrance to the Bay of Vic- 

 toria, as well as at the Abrolhos, Porto Seguro, and Bahia. It sometimes occurs in 

 some of the larger tide pools on the surface of the reefs at low-tide level, but its usual 

 station is on the edges of the reef, and ranging from low-water mark downward, to a 

 depth of 5-6 feet or more. It is sometimes laid bear by spring tides. The color, when 

 alive, is yellowish or pinkish ; the latter tint is apt to fade in drying. A small Ovulum 

 ( 0. gibbosmn) is parasitic on this species. — c. F. H. 



Gorgonia (Pterogorgia) gracilis Verriii, sp. nov. 

 Plate IV, figures 2% 2", and 3. 



Very slender and delicate, sparingly branched ; the branches irreg- 

 ular, sometimes forked, oftener arising alternately at the distance of 

 one or two inches apart, and abruptly spreading for half an inch or 



Trans. Connecticut Acad., Vol. I. 46 Februaey, 1868. 



