— 
A. E. Verrili— The Bermuda Islands; Coral Reefs. 239 
variety of the preceding, which it resembles in mode of growth, 
large size of calicles, and general appearance. I found no specimens 
agreeing perfectly with the type, though some from Harrington 
Sound seem to be the same. 
Madyracis decactis (Lyman) Ver. Figures 94, 95. 
Astrea decactis Lyman, 1859. 
Madracis decactis Verrill, 1864. Pourtalés, op. cit., pp. 28, 67, pl. vii, figs, 
1-4, 1871. Verrill, these Trans., x, p.554, pl. Ixvii, figs. 8, 10, 1900; xi, 
p. 108, figs. 2, 2a, pl. xiv, fig. 6, 1901. 
Acxhelia decactis Vaughan, op. cit., p. 8, 1901. 
This coral is not uncommon at Bermuda, even on the inner reefs 
and in Harrington Sound and Castle Harbor. When young it forms 
crusts, or small, irregular, nodular masses, but later usually grows 
94 95 
Figure 94.—Madracis decactis, x about 6. 
Figure 95.—The same, with polyps expanded. Drawings by A. H. V. 
up into blunt branches or irregular lobes, sometimes becoming round 
‘and forking into smaller branches, which are usually very brittle, 
though seldom less than $ inch in diameter. The coral is rarely 
more than 4 to 6 inches high. 
It can easily be distinguished by the small, usually sunken calicles 
which have only ten septa (except sometimes a few calicles at the 
tips of the branches, which may have 20). This number 10 for 
the septa is rare in corals. The polyps, however, have 20 unequal 
tentacles, sometimes only 18, and rise above the calicles when they 
expand (fig. 95). The color in life is variable, usually light yellow- 
ish brown and rust-color, or purplish brown, varying to pink and 
light yellow. Disk dull yellow, russet-brown or lavender, with white 
radial lines, wider near the mouth; lips whitish; tentacles have 
white tips. ae 
It occurs, also, in Florida and the West Indies. Gregory has 
reported it as fossil from the Bermuda beach-rocks. 
