396 THE G0RGONIANS OF THE BRAZILIAN COAST. 



angular, squarish, or irregular angular meshes, often not more than 5 to 6 mm 

 square. These do not occur regularly in all parts and are probably inconstant' 

 but it is the character given as distinctive of Phyllogorgia. The subparallel 

 branchlets are no doubt more important than the anastomoses. 



The ccenenchyma has a thin, smooth, compact, superficial layer of spicules* 

 beneath this it is more porous with looser spicules. Between the two layers in a 

 transverse section, there is a row of numerous, small, nutrient canals, parallel 

 with the surface, similar to those in the circle around the axis. 



The calicle pores in this form seem to be larger than in P. quercifolia. They 

 appear as unequal round pores, over the whole surface, except over the central 

 lines of the axis. 



The calicles on opposite sides of the fronds generally alternate and the bases 

 of the polyp-cavities reach about half way through the thickness of the ccenen- 

 chyma. In some cases, however, they are opposite as seen in sections and in 

 that case their bases are separated only by a thin septum. 



The axis is dull black in the stem, becoming dull yellow and amber-yellow, 

 in the branches. In the finer divisions it is very slender, translucent, and 

 somewhat calcareous. 



The color as dried (perhaps stained) is brownish orange with a tinge of 

 purple, especially on the edges, due to many purple spicules among the pale 

 yellow ones; on the base the color is bright purple; there is a layer of purple 

 spicules around the axis. The prepared spicules are mixed amethyst-purple, 

 rose-color, light yellow, and whitish. The greater number are stout, thick, blunt, 

 closely warted double-spindles, with a narrow median girdle. They are shorter, 

 much thicker, and more evenly and closely warted than in either of the allied 

 species. Many, especially among the purple ones, are short, stout, double-cones 

 and double-rosettes. There are also many more slender, subacute, double- 

 spindles of both colors. The scaphoids are mostly white and much smaller than 

 the spindles. They have the convex side smooth or nearly so and strongly 

 curved. The small external spicules are double-heads, rosettes, double-rosettes, 

 etc., both purple and pale yellow. 



The more slender double-spindles measure 0.19 X 0.06; 0.19 X 0.05; 0.17 X 

 0.06; the stouter double-spindles, 0.15X0.07; 0.14X0.07; double-rosettes 



0.10 X 0.05; scaphoids, 0.15 X 0.05; 0.12 X 0.04; 0.11 X 0.05; 0.10 X 0.05; 



clubs, 0.04 X 0.05; crosses, 0.19 X 0.10; 0.14 X 0.14 mm. 



Height, 170 mm.; breadth, 185 mm. u 



Abrolhos Reefs, Brazil. Coll. Prof. C. F. Hartt, 1867. Type, No. 1514, 



Yale Museum. 



Phyllogorgia dilatata (Esper) M.-Edw. and Hairae. 



Gorgonia dilatata Esper, Pfianz., II, Fortsetz., p. 25, pi. 51, figs. 1, 2, 1790. , c j* 



Phyllogorgia dilatata Edw. and Haime, Brit. Fossil Corals, Introd., p. 58, 1850. vai., v 



p. 130. M 

 onia dilatata Verrill. Amen Journ 



Plate XXXUI, figure 3 (spicules of the type of Edwards and Haime 

 Paris Museum) . 



the 



