134 Natural History Blt.i.etin. 



a portion of the test of a J\Ietalia was picked up near Bird 

 Key. 



The corals were of course the best represented <(roup of 

 Coelenterates. We were told that most of the branching" 

 forms had been killed a few years previous to our visit, 

 probably by unusually low tides. The following reef-build- 

 ing forms were collected: 



Sidcrastneii galaxca Ell. and Soland.. Maniciiia arculata 

 \Ann., Isop/iyllia dipsacea Dana, Diploria cercbrijoniiis. Lamk.. 

 Mcaiidrina clivosa Verrill. J/caiidrina sijiiiosa Lesr.. Porilcs 

 (istrceoides Lamk., Pontes fiircata Lamk.. Poritcs. chivaria 

 Lamk., Agan'cia <ig\in'c/tes Pall., OrbiccUa aiiuularis Dana., 

 Ocidina varicosa Lesueur. Of these, the two species of 

 branching Poritcs were bv far the most abundant, growing 

 inside the reefs and fairly covering considerable areas of the 

 bottom. Only one specimen of Madrcpora cervicoruis Lamk. 

 was found, although we were told that they were formerlv 

 very abundant. 



Millcpora aJcicornis Lamk. was the onlv hydroid. if it be 

 a hvdroid. found at this station, a fact that surprised us 

 greath'. Of course we did no dredging in deep water, and 

 thus were unable to investigate the fauna outside of the reefs. 



Only two species of Medusa' were found, — Liiiergcs iner- 

 curius Hajck. and PoJxclonia froudosa Agassiz, the latter 

 being verv abundant in the old moat, where it rests on the 

 sandv bottom with its tentacles turned upward. In spots 

 they are closelv packed together, and the waving, leaf-like 

 tentacles give them a semblance to a thick growth of algie. 

 Ph\salia arethusa Agassiz is the onlv Siphonophore found b}' 

 us at this station. It was abundant, and as before indicated, 

 is almost always accompanied by a little group of parasitic 

 tishes. 



On Tuesdav. June 13th. the boats were sent for the turtle 

 skeletons which the land-crabs had cleaned for us on Bird 

 Kev, and the corals which had been put to bleach on Bush 

 Key. A strong wind was blowing, but abated somewhat in the 

 afternoon, and the "Emilv E.Johnson"' left the fumigatmg 



