MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY, 201 



Paracyathus flos Pourt. spec nov. 



Corallum broadly attachetl, short, expanding rapidly and widely. Costaj flat, 

 distinct to the base, somewhat unequal, densely granulated. Septa very exsert, 

 rounded or subangular with rounded corners, thickened in the middle, thus 

 having a lenticular section, covered with granules, which are not arranged in 

 any particular order. Four cycles, the fourth wanting in a few half-systems. 

 Primary and secondary septa nearly equal, the first advancing somewhat more 

 towards the centre. Pali very irregular in size, smallest in front of the prima- 

 ries, largest sometimes forming two lobes in front of tertiaries. The pali sur- 

 round a very deep and narrow fossa, at the bottom of which is seen the colu- 

 mella formed of 5 or 6 stout papilloe. The septa are horn-colored with darker 

 border, the pali and columella are pure white. Height, 7 mm. ; diameter of 

 stem, 3 mm.; of calicle, 10 mm. Only one specimen and fragments of another 

 were obtained. 



This coral differs very much in general appearance from the typical Para- 

 cyathi ; at first glance it would be taken for a stunted Caryophyllia, but the 

 characters, strictly taken, place it undoubtedly in the former genus. 



Station No. 5. Off Havana. 100 fms. 



Leptocyathus Stimpsonii Pourt. 



Fine and large specimens were obtained in 119 fathoms on the Florida bank, 

 of the type first described and figured by me. In the Florida straits in 229 

 fathoms quite a number were dredged of the more elongated shape, which Mr. 

 Lindstrom has found to be the prevalent form in the eastern Atlantic. The 

 two might perhaps be separated specifically, as in the elongated form the costte 

 are flat, finely granulated, separated by very small furrows ; in the spherical 

 form they are sharp, with very deep furrows, covered with very small spines, 

 and pass over into the septa without differentiation ; in the elongated form the 

 edge of the calicle is, on the contrary, more or less sharply defined. Still, in the 

 light of the great variability of some of the forms of corals, it is safer to leave 

 the two forms together for the present. I now refer to this species Stephano- 

 phyltia foUiaUus P., or Paracyathus folliculus P. 



Mr. Lindstrom doubts the propriety of referring these corals to the genus 

 Leptocyathus, although he adopts the reference provisionally. He did not rec- 

 ognize the pali, which, however, I find quite distinct in large specimens, in 

 front of the tertiaries, but I have had no opportunity of direct conipaiison with 

 the fossil species. 



(Sigsbee.) Lat. 26° 31' N., Long. 85° 3' W. 119 fms. 



" Oflt Havana. 175 fms. 



Station No. 20. Lat. 23° 25' N., Long. 83° 11' W. 220 fms. 

 (Sigsbee.) Lat. 24° 16' N., Long. 82° 13' W. 229 fms. 



" Off Havana. 2-13-450 fms. 



