428 Verrill, Notes on Itadiata. 



short, crooked branchlets, mostly on the outer side, which are often at 

 distances of less than a quarter of an inch apart. Terminal branch- 

 lets one or two inches long, '25 in diameter, often tapering. Verrucse 

 very slender, 2:)rominent, the lower lip much prolonged, acute, the sur- 

 face and summit rough with the sharp ends of the si^icula. Cells 

 small, opening upward, often lilled with a cluster of bright yellow 

 spicula from the bases of the tentacles. Color deep brown. 

 Pearl Islands, — F. H. Bradley. 



This species somewhat resembles the two following in color and ex- 

 ternal appearance. From the first it differs greatly in mode of growth, 

 and somewhat in the spicula ; from the second {31. austera) in its 

 much more slender, longer, and spreading Aerrucoe, and very decidedly 

 in its spicula. 



Muricea fruticosa Verriii, sp. nov. 



Plate VII, figure 2. 



Corallum large, very branching, csespitose, fruticose, with rather 

 small, somewhat clavate branchlets, and prominent, spreading, spi- 

 nose verrucre. 



The trunk is very stout and short, arising from a large irregular 

 base, and usually divides at once into several large, unequal main 

 branches, which rapidly divide and subdivide in an irregular manner, 

 the branches and branchlets usually not more than one quarter or 

 half inch apart. Sometimes several large main branches can be 

 traced for some distance, giving ofi" numerous small branches from all 

 sides, but more frequently the subdivision is so rapid that the main 

 branches are very soon lost among the crowded and crooked branches. 

 The small branches near the ends often divide in an irregularly dichot- 

 omons manner, and sometimes coalesce ; they are very numerous, 

 nearly equal in size, and usually much curved and crooked, spreading 

 at their origin with a broad curve. The terminal branchlets are short, 

 mostly "5 to 1*5 inches long, often curved, of moderate size, narrowed at 

 base, enlarging to the obtusely rounded end. Verructe close together, 

 but not imbricated, spreading outward and upward, quite prominent, 

 conical, about as high as broad toward the outer ends of the branch- 

 lets, where they are more developed than below, and furnished with 

 an acute prolonged lower lip, the surface covered Avith long, stout 

 spindles, some of which are about as long as the verrucoe. Cells small, 

 situated on the upper side of the verruca^, near the end, the apei'ture 

 filled with the yellow polyp-spicula, from the bases of the tentacles. 

 On the surface of the larger branches the verrucse are low, rounded, 



