of the Genus Fungia. 495 



would, if unattached, be exposed to great injury even by a slight 

 agitation of the water. 



1 have also to remark upon this fact, that the Fungia while 

 attached agree in every respect with Lamarck's genus Caryo- 

 phi/Uia, more especially in their early state, when the radiating 

 plates are first developed. At this time their upper discs are 

 scarcely larger than the stem, but they soon begin to spread and 

 show indications of their characteristic form. 



There are not unfrequently instances of smaller individuals 

 remaining fixed to large ones in a living state, and such speci- 

 mens are not unfrequent in collections of corals ; but in all such 

 cases that I have seen, the younger ones are attached to the 

 under side of the old one, and I believe them to be cases of 

 accidental attachment. 



I consider the specimens found at Tahiti, which are figured 

 in the accompanying plate, to belong to Lamarck's species 

 of Fungia agariciformis, of which there appear to be many va- 

 rieties. These have closer plates than those from Sincapore, 

 and smaller serratures along their edges. 



In the Paumotus, which are principally coral reef islands 

 inclosing a lagoon studded with smaller reefs, I met with a spe- 

 cies which 1 have not observed elsewhere, and do not remember 

 to have seen figured in any work on natural histor}'. One is re- 

 presented in Tab. xxxii. Fig. 6. a, b. The coral is of an ovate 

 form, flatter in proportion than i^. agariciformis, and thicker in 

 substance, but the lamellae are much thinner and more numerous. 

 As I believe that these characters will prove sufficient to consti- 

 tute a distinct species, I propose to call it Fungia Paumotensis. 

 The Fungia limacina occurred frequently among the Society 

 Islands, but I did not find it in its young and attached state. 

 The figures represented in the accompanying plate are all taken 

 from specimens collected in the voyage above mentioned. 



In Ellis's Zoophytes (page 146.) is the following passage, 

 VOL. XVI. 3 s quoted 



