52 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISPI AND FISHERIES. 



mate branches long, given off at wide angles; cells .02-3"'^ in diameter, 



cell-wall delicate, terminal cells blnnt. 



Staten Island, Beesley's Point, Xew York Bay, Harvey: in pools, 



Xewport, E. I.; Europe. Summer. 



Xot yet observed uorth of Cape Cod. The species is recognized by forming dense 

 tufts of a pale color and almost spongy consistency. The sponginess, however, is not, 

 as in the subgenus Sponfjomorpha, due to the interlacing of short recurved branches 

 and rhizoidal tilameuts, but to the fineness of the filaments, which are densely twisted 

 together. The cells do not vary much in diameter throughout. This species, when 

 dried, loses most of its color, and does not adhere well to paper. 



C. REFRACTA, (Ivotli) Aresclioug. (Xon C. refracta, Alg. Danmon., 

 Xo. 228, nee Pliyc. Brit., PI. 24.) 



Filaments rather rigid, forming tufts from 2-8 inches long, color 

 a glaucous green 5 branches flexuous, clothed throughout with nearly 

 equal, short, frequently opposite branchlets, which are at first patent 

 and furnished with erect or corymbose, afterwards reflexed, branchlets; 

 cells .OS-S"^^ in diameter, terminal cells blunt. 



Common in deep tide-pools and on stones and sea-weeds at low-water 

 mark throughout our limits. Spring and summer. Northern Europe. 



We have refrained from quoting any synonyms in the description just given. The 

 species, as we understand it, is one common in rocky places where the water is pure. 

 It forms rather short tufts of a somewhat glaucous green, which is paler when the 

 plant grows exj)osed to the sun. The branchlets, which are in general short, are at 

 first erect, but, as usually found, are somewhat corymbose and ultimately decompound 

 and reflexed. It is rather rigid and does not collapse when removed from the water. 

 In drying it sometimes retains its color, but usually becomes yellowish and does not 

 adhere well to paper. What we have described seems to be the C. refracta of Harvey's 

 Xereis, but we have refrained from quoting the localities given by Harvey. The C. 

 refracta of the French coast is considered by Le Jolis to be a variety of C. alhida. The 

 same is not true of our species, which is certainly distinct from C. alhida. It may be 

 that we have also the refracted variety of C. alhida on our coast, but we have never 

 met with it. The present species is much coarser and differs in habit and ramification 

 from the C. alhida of Xew England, which agrees well with European specimens. The 

 American C. refracta is much nearer to, if not identical with, the species published by 

 Areschoug in the Algae Scandinavicae, 2d series, No. 338, as C. refracta, (Roth). In 

 coarseness it approaches C. loetevirens, but it certainly is not the same as No. 143, Algae 

 Danmonienses, which Harvey considers to be C. Uetevirens. In short, we think that 

 the C. refracta of New England is not the species to which the French botanists ap- 

 ply that name, but probably the species of Areschoug. Whether it is really the Con- 

 ferva refracta of Roth is a point on which we can only follow the authority of others. 

 At any rate, after the explanation given, the name can be retained without causing 

 greater confusion than has hitherto existed. 



C. GLAUCESCENS, (Griff.) Harv. {CI. glaucescens, Phyc. Brit., PI. 196. — 

 CI. pseudo-sericea, Crouan, Alg. Finist., No. 367.) 



Filaments loosely tufted, 3-12 inches long, much branched, color light 

 green; branches erect, pectinate, ultimate branchlets elongated, erect, 



