A. EF. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands; Coral Reefs. 315 
This species is allied to 4. multicauda (Lam.); E. crassa Edw. 
and Haime; and Z. turgida Ehr., in having low verruciform calicles 
with the borders 8-lobed. Possibly they may all belong to but one 
or two species. 
Euniceopsis atra Verrill. Figures 164, 1695. 
Eunicea atra Verrill, Trans. Conn. Acad. Sci., vol. xi, p. 52, pl. ix, figs. 4, 5, 
1901. 
This species forms flattened groups of rather rigid, black branches, 
which subdivide dichotomously. ‘The branches and branchlets are 
distinctly smaller than in the three preceding species. 
Figure 165.—Euniceopsis atra, group of the spicules, x17. Drawn by A. H. V. 
The branches mostly spring from near the base; the terminal ones 
are long, about 100 to 150™™ and 6 to 10™™ in diameter, where 
largest ; they are often crooked or slightly sinuous, and frequently 
clavate at the tip. 
The calicles are rather large and usually open when dry, up to 1™™ 
or more in diameter, and not very close together; aperture round or 
elliptical, with the borders only slightly raised, and usually not dis- 
tinetly 8-lobed in the dry specimens; lower lip usually very slightly 
developed, as an angular point, often entirely lacking. 
The polyps in expansion are large and prominent, yellowish brown, 
and so stiffened with chevrons of white spicules that they contract 
very slowly, though completely. The color of the ccenenchyma is 
inky black in life, and when taken from the water it exudes a large 
