THE GORGONIANS OF THE BRAZILIAN COAST. 379 



Variety macra, nov. 



This variety looks like a distinct species superficially. It is much mon 

 slender, more upright, and more loosely branched than the other varieties. The 

 stalk is unbranched near the base; branching is at first subdichotomous. Tin 

 branchlets are short and arise irregularly pinnately ; they are slender and terete. 

 The calicles are small, on many parts they are obsolete or represented only 1 >j 

 small pores; in other places they are slightly raised verruca, opening upward; 

 rarely they become subnariform. It appears as if partly starved by unfavorable 

 conditions; hence the name. 



The color is pale yellow, tinged with purple by superficial purple picult 

 The inner spicules are yellowish white and purple. In form and structure the} 

 are the same as those of the normal variety. 



Total height, 115 mm.; breadth, 60 mm.; diameter of branchlet 1 to 3 nun. 



Abrolhos Reefs, with the normal form. Coll. C. F. Hartt, 1867. No. 1515c! 



Muricea acropora Verrill. 



Plate XXXII, figure 3 (small branch of No. 4510). Plate XXXV, figures 



1, la (spicules of the same). 



The coral of the type is a densely branched fruticose clump, consisting of six 

 main branches, arising close to the base, and giving off on all sides numerous 

 short branchlets and branches, so closely placed that they are mostly nearly or 

 quite in contact. The small branches and branchlets are so graded that each 

 principal branch forms a tapering or thrysiform cluster of branchlets. 



The terminal branchlets are mostly from 10 to 15 mm. in length and about 

 3.5 to 4.5 mm. in diameter. Total height, 100 mm.; breadth, about 120 mm 



Color pale yellow. 



The calicles are small, prominent, crowded, and mostly divergent. Where 

 best developed they are nariform, with a small, prominent, obtuse or subacute 

 lower lip. The aperture is small and directed upward, and the walls are rather 

 thick. In some other places the lower lip is obsolete and the aperture round and 

 small. 



The surface is rough with the sharp spinules of the outer spicules. The 

 spicules are nearly white, very roughly spinulated, and diversified in form. 

 Some of the larger ones from the interior are rather slender, regular, acute 

 spindles, covered with prominent branched or spinulated warts; others are bent 

 and often unequal-ended spindles. Many of the larger spindles from the exterior 

 have one or several conical or irregular outgrowths on one side, which subdivide 

 or give rise to several strong, sharp, simple spinules projecting at the surface. 

 Others are elongated and roughly warted clubs, with a group of stout, conical 

 spinules on the larger end. 



The regular warted spindles measure 0.85 X 0.17; 0.68 X 0.15; 0.60 X 0.13; 

 0.56 X 0.21; one-sided spinose spindles, 0.79 X 0.24; 0.75 X 0.22; 0.70 X 0.27; 

 0.57 X 0.21; spinose spindles with branched outgrowths on one side (fig. la, m), 

 0.79 X 0.34; spinose clubs, 0.70 X 0.21; 0.65 X 0.36 mm. 



