CARBONIFEROUS FOSSILS. t 



in form, but becoming elongated and cylindrical with age. "Whether or not they 

 continued to branch, so as to present a dendroid aspect, cannot be determined 

 from the specimens yet collected. The rather large size and subconical form of 

 some of the corallites, as seen detached, might lead to the supposition that they 

 belong to the genus CliswphyUum, from which they do not differ materially in 

 their internal structure. The compound mode of growth, however, of the entire 

 corallum, would exclude it from that genus as denned by Edwards and Ilaimc. 

 Until better specimens can be obtained for study, its generic relations must remain 

 somewhat doubtful. 



The large size, and more conical form of the calices, as well as their more 

 widely divergent mode of branching, will readily distinguish this species from 

 any variety of the common L. mamiUare. The surfaces of its calicos are also 

 more wrinkled by the marks of growth, while it wants the rather distinct costal 

 striaj of that species. Again, the large vesicles of its middle area, as seen in a 

 vertical section, arc more numerous and irregular, and do not slope with a down- 

 ward curve, as in L. inamillare. 



LlTHOSTROTION ? 



PI. 1, Fig. 3, and 3 a. 



Corallum loosely fasciculate. Corallites slender, cylindrical, 

 more or less flexuous. Calices unknown. Rays twenty to twenty- 

 four, rather strong, straight, and apparently extending nearly or 

 quite to the columella; sometimes alternating with short rudimen- 

 tary rays. Tahulae thin, arranged more closely than the rays, and 

 curving strongly upwards as they approach the axis. Outer vesi- 

 cular zone, as seen in vertical sections, very narrow, and occupied 

 usually by a single series of small, very ohlique vesicles. 



Only knowing this coral in the condition of very imperfect specimens, I do not 

 feel warranted in identifying it with any known species ; nor would it be desirable 

 to attempt to describe it from such material under a new name. It may be com- 

 pared with such forms as L. irregidare, Phillips (sp.), L. Martini, Edwards and 

 Haime, &c, though it seems to differ in its internal structure from these and all 

 the other species with which I have compared it. 



