Verrill, Notes on Radiata, 387 



Litigorgia. — Species having the two fonus of (louhlf-spindlcs and 

 often a few small doul)le-liea(ls ; surface somewhat gramilous, hut less 

 so than in the last. Type, L. Flonti V. (now Leptogorgia. — lJe[)rint). 



Neither of the two groups belonging to the Pacific coast of Amer. 

 ica can he referred to any of the generic divisions defined hy Ed- 

 wards and Ilaime, and if classified by their system, each group M'ould. 

 have to be dismembered and distributed among Gorgonia, Leptogor- 

 gia, Ptcrogorgui, and RlirpkJogorgla. 



Consequently I have thought it necessary to give distinctive names 

 to the two groups already characterized, which I believe to be natu- 

 ral and well defined, and of generic importance, although others may 

 consider them as subgenera merely. But in the present state of the 

 science there appears to be no way to determine whether a certain 

 natural group be a genus or subgenus, except by the arbitrary decis- 

 ions or opinions of writers. 



Leptogorgia Edw. and Haime, sens. mod. (Litigorgia, 1st Edition). 

 Leptogorgia (pars), Gorgonia (pars), Pterogorgia (pars), Rhipidogorgia (par.^, Gar- 

 gonella (pars), and Lophogorgia Edw. and Haime, CoraU., vol. I. — Rei^rint. 



Spicula of the coenenchyma mostly small double-spindles of two 

 forms, longer and shorter. Branches usually slender, subdividing in 

 various ways; often reticulated, pinnate, or bipinate. Cells usually 

 prominent, sometimes flat, mostly in lateral rows or bands.* 



A. — Flahelliform, branches bipmnate or tripinnate, not reticulated. 

 Leptogorgia Florae Ven-ill. (Litigorgia Flor.e, 1st Ed.). 



Plate V, figure 3 ; and Plate VI, figure 1. 



Corallum very much subdivided, forming elegant, fan-shaped tufts. 

 Several slightly flattened, slender, principal branches usually arise 

 from near the base and spread divergently in a single plane. Each 

 of these gives ofi", at intervals of about a quarter of an inch, very 

 slender, nearly uniform branchlets, which are altei-nate, or sometimes 

 opposite, and arranged pinnately. Most of these, especially in large 

 specimens, are again pinnate in the same manner, and some of their 



* Having recently received from Dr. Kolliker the spicula prepared from the original 

 specimens of several of the species of Leptogorgia of Edwards and Haime, including 

 the type (L. viminalis), I have ascertained that of the fourteen species referred by them 

 to Leptogorgia, at least five, including the first, belong to the group which I had named 

 Litigorgia. Therefore it seems, on some accounts, best to restore the earlier name, al- 

 though a complete change in the definition and limits of the genus will be necessary. 

 Of their other species, two belong to Echinogorgia, two to Pterogorgia, one apparently 

 to Gorgonella, while three are unknown to me. — Reprint. (Sec Am. Jour. Sci., vol. 

 48, p. 325, November, 1869). 



