VerriU, Notes on Eadkita. 403 



Cape St. Lucas, — J. Xantus ; Acapulco, — A. Agassiz ; San Salva- 

 dor, — Capt. J. M. Dow ; La Paz, — J. Pedersen. 



This species and the next approach Lopliogorgia palma E. and H. 

 in the character of the spicula, more nearly than do any of our other 

 species of Leptogorgia. 



The existence of numerous small, short, double-spindles, with but 

 two whorls of warts, gives the spicula of these species an appearance 

 quite different from those of the more typical species of Leptogorgia^ 

 but similar spicula occur in L. stenobrochis, and, to a less extent, in 

 several other species. 



Leptogorgia CUSpidata Vorrill. (Litigorgia cuspidata, 1st Ed.). 



Leptogorgia cuspidata Verrill, Proc. Essex Inst, iv, p. 186, 1865. 



Gorgonia (Eugorgia) cuspidata Verrill, Amer. Jour. Sci., vol. 45, p. 414, May, 1868. 



Corallum broad, sub-flabelliform, irregularly branching nearly in 

 one plane. The trunk divides near the base into sevei-al principal 

 branches, which subdivide in an irregiilarly dichotomous manner, 

 forming a somewhat fasciculated clump ; sometimes the branches are 

 subpinnate. Branchlets moderately elongated, thick, rigid, nearly 

 straight, tapering to the ends. Cells numerous, rather large, rounded , 

 covering the surface of the branchlets, except along a narrow median 

 space on each side. Longitudinal grooves scarcely distinct, except 

 near the base. Color deep purple, the cells surrounded by bright 

 yellow, and the median space sometimes streaked with yellow. 



Height about 6 inches ; breadth about the same ; length of branch- 

 lets 1 to 3 inches ; diameter '10 to •13, 



A specimen from Caj^e St. Lucas, referred with doubt to this, resem- 

 bles L. rigida in its subpinnate mode of branching. The branchlets 

 are from -75 to 1 inch long, and •12 in diameter, and less cuspidate 

 than in the typical form. As I have not had an opportunity to examine 

 the spicula of the original specimen, I add a description of those from 

 this doubtful variety, which may, perhaps, belong ratlier with L. rigida. 

 Spicula of various forms and sizes, deep red and bright yellow ming- 

 led. Longer double-spindles large, with acute ends, median space 

 rather wide, warts well separated, forming 3 or 4 whorls on each end, 

 the whorl next to the median space much the largest, consisting of 

 large, ragged warts ; the others diminish toward the ends, the last 

 warts becoming very small and simple. Stouter double-spindles thick 

 and blunt, with a deeply sunken median space, bordered by whoi-ls of 

 large, crowded, rough, compound warts ; outside of these, but clo^e 

 to them, there is a whorl of much smaller warts on each end, and usu- 

 ally another subterminal whorl of very small simple warts. Many 



