20 VERRILL, SYNOPSIS OP 



often dividing into a cluster of short, obtuse branchlets. Lat- 

 eral corallites, irregular in size and position, swollen below, 

 smaller at the ends, appressed, turned in various directions, 

 the summits often incurved; cells opening inward, small, 

 usually showing six nearly equal septa. Terminal corallites 

 not much exceeding some of the lateral ones in size, thick, 

 obtuse, but little prominent; cells showing twelve septa, 

 those of the second cycle much narrower than the rest. 

 Surface of the ccenenchyma and exterior of the corallites 

 loosely porous, covered by crowded lacerately divided gran- 

 ules or small spines, vrith numerous openings between them. 

 Costae scarcely apparent. 



Color of unbleached coral, light brownish yellow. 



Height of the only specimen collected 6 inches ; length 

 of branches 3 ; thickness about .25. 



Loo Choo Islands. Dr. Wm. Stimpson. 



Madrepora hebes Dana. 



Specimens of a Madrepora, the locality of which is not 

 certainly known, but supposed to have been collected 

 at the Loo Choo Islands or Tahiti, are in the collection. 

 These I am not able to distinguish from Madrepora hebes 

 Dana, by comparison with his typical specimens from Tahiti. 



Madrepora nobilis Dana. 



Fragments in alcohol. 



Gaspar Straits. Capt. Stevens. 



Madrepora teres Verrill, nov. sp. 



Corallum arborescently branched. The branches long, 

 round, slightly tapering, spreading at an angle of about 50° ; 

 branchlets slender, rapidly tapering, rounded at the end. 

 Apical corallites small, scarcely prominent, with six septa 

 well marked, and six rudimentary ones between. Lateral 

 cells small, not crowded, arranged evenly on all sides ; those 

 towards the ends of the branches opening upward, and pro- 



