36 



VERRILL ON THE POLYPS OF THE 



Actinia (?) nitida Dawson. 

 Canadian Naturalist and Geologist, vol. iii. p. 404, fig. 3-5 (1858). 



This name was provisionally applied to an Actinian which I have not seen. It closely 

 resembles specimens of Rhodadinia Davisii of the form named Actinia earmold by Dr. Stimp- 

 son, and may well prove to be only a variation of that polymorphous species. 



" Body short, cylindrical, smooth ; color red, arranged in stripes ; tentacles triserial, 

 short, conical, striated, reddish ; disk prominent, dull purple, with two rows of white spots. 

 Oral bands numerous, flesh-color." 



The largest specimens were an inch in diameter and had one hundred and fifty tentacles. 



Gaspe, Canada East, 8 to 10 f. gravelly bottom (J. W. Dawson). 



Sub-order II. Antipatharia. 



In this division the polyps are united, as in the Gorgonidm among the Alcyonaria, by a 

 coenenchyma which connects them laterally ; and from the common basal membrane there 

 is in like manner secreted a solid axis (sckrobasc), which serves as a support. The sclero- 

 base is, however, rarely or never striated, and has a smooth or echinulated surface. The 

 polyps, so far as known, have six simple tentacles, similar to those of many Actinaria. 



Genus Antipathes Pallas. 



Corallum branched ; branches but imperfectly coalescent, or not at all so. Axis black, 

 hard, and opaque, with the surface more or less echinulate. 



Antipathes Boseii Lamx. 



Antipathes Boseii Lamouroux, Polyp. Flex., p. 375, pi. 14, f. 5 (1816) ; Dana, Zoophytes, p. 584 (1846) ; Milne-Edwards, Coral, 

 liaires, i. p. 318 (1857). 



Corallum finely and densely branched from very near the base, forming an irregular, 

 subflabelliform, matted frond. Branches slender, numerously divided in an irregularly 

 dichotomous or subpinnate manner, frequently coalescent, especially near the base, the 

 reticulations very irregular. Branchlets slender, setiform, the terminal ones from one 

 fourth of an inch to an inch in length. Surface of the branches and branchlets thickly 

 covered by small acute spines projecting nearly at right angles ; between the spines 

 minutely scabrous. Color black, the branchlets translucent, dark amber-colored. Coenen- 

 chyma not observed. Height, 10 inches; breadth, 14. (Coll. Mus. Comp. Zool.) 



Near Charleston, S. C. (L. Agassiz). 



Antipathes alopecuroides Ellis and Sol. 

 Antipathes alopecuroides Ellis and Solander, p. 102 (1786) ; Dana, Zoophytes, p. 584 ; Milne-Edwards, Coralliaires, i. p. 317 



Having had no opportunity of observing this species, I quote the original description of 

 Ellis. 



" This branched Antipathes has its young branches, which are full of spires and small 



