Verrill, Notes on RacUata. 367 



Resembles in the size and prominence of the cells S. cavernosa 

 Edw. and Haime, but is very distinct in its more cellular texture ; 

 fewer septa, which are also much thinner and more acute at summit ; 

 thinner and more elevated costie, etc. 



Found with Ac mthastrcea Braziliensis, but appears to be quite rare on the Abrolhos 

 reefs. My specimens were obtained at a depth of 3 to 4 feet, at low tide. It is quite 

 abundant in the bay of I'ahia, and is brought to the City of Bahia from tlie island of 

 Itaparica, with other corals, for burning mto lime. The coralla are, occasionally, a foot 

 and a half in diameter. — c. P. n. 



Mussa Harttii Verrlll, sp. nov. 



Corallum forming circular clumps, often a foot in diameter and 

 half as high, consisting of numerous short, rapidly forking, subcylin- 

 drical branches, '5 to "8 of an inch in diameter ; seldom more than an 

 inch between the successive branches; the summits alive for about half 

 an inch, often less, and separated from the dead portion by a well- 

 marked epitheca, above this with numerous strong, subequal costse, 

 which bear strong, sharp, recurved spines ; cells from '5 to 1"2 inches 

 in diameter, sub-circular, often with lobed margins, none of them re- 

 maining united into series, rather deep ("4 to "5 of an inch), septa in 

 five cycles, the last incomplete, thin, projecting subequally at summit 

 (about '1 inch) ; the upper part divided into from four to seven un- 

 equal, sharp, diverging teeth, below which they are lacerately divided 

 into irregular, smaller teeth ; sides of the septa roughened by lines of 

 distant, small, conical spines. Columella slightly developed, consist- 

 ing of slender, interlocking processes, arising from the inner part of 

 the septa. Color of the unbleached coral, yellowish brown. 



Abrolhos Reefs, Brazil, — C. F. Hartt. 



This species is very distinct by its regular cells, strongly echinate 

 costa3, etc. 



One of the commonest as well as one of the most beautiful of the corals of the 

 Brazilian reefs. It forms splendid bouquets on the submerged borders of the reefs, 

 seeming to prefer the very edge, where the clusters of branches are, sometimes, two 

 feet in diameter. Most abundant in 3 — 6 feet of water at low tide. This is a very 

 fragile species, and one which seems to prefer rather sheltered localities. It it very 

 abundant at Victoria, where, however, I have never seen it alive. It appears to grow 

 there in rather deep water, and is thrown up by storms. This species is always en- 

 crusted with several species of Bryozoa. It is rare on the stone reef at Porto Seguro, 

 but exceedingly common on the inner side of the coral reef at that locality. It is abun- 

 dant on the Recife do Lixo, Abrolhos. I have seen specimens from Pernambuco. Color, 

 when alive, whitish. — C. F. H. 



