CORALS FROM MURRAY, COCOS-KEELING, AND FANNING ISLANDS. I93 



which restrict the interspaces. Outer septal ends sometimes joined to the wall by forks. 

 Margins, except near the lower edge, slope steeply to the palar ring, inside which there is 

 a vertical drop to the bottom of the columellar pit. 



Outer synapticular ring usually well developed, with a ring of denticles corresponding 

 to its inner edge. In places this ring may be so developed as to produce a trimurate con- 

 dition. The synapticular palar ring is deep-seated, and, although usually complete, may 

 sometimes be discontinuous. 



Palar formula normally complete, the members of the triplet always free from one 

 another. The pali usually poorly developed, but near the lower edge they may be promi- 

 nent. Those before the lateral pairs the more prominent; those before the solitary directive 

 and the members of the triplet less developed, barely indicated, or suppressed. They are 

 as granulate as the septa. Frequently there are I or 2 smaller processes between the pali 

 and the outer synapticular ring, but they probably are radial projections from the outer 

 septal trabeculae and do not represent trabecular ends. 



Columellar tubercle weakly developed or entirely absent, the inner ends of the septa 

 forming a deep-seated columellar tangle. 



The foregoing description applies particularly to the calices on the sides and 

 upper surface of the corallum, somewhat distant from the edge of the living part. 

 Near the edge of the living tissue the calices are shallower, the pali well developed, 

 rather tall, and a conspicuous, compressed columellar tubercle is often present. 



Stations, Murray Island. — Southeast reef, line I: 



400 feet from shore; depth of water, 4.5 to 5 inches. 



600 feet from shore; depth of water, 15 inches; bottom sandy (type specimen, plate 84, figs. 4, 4<i, 4*). 



650 feet from shore; 5 to 10 inches deep; bottom, sandy. 

 1,000 feet from shore; water 15 inches deep; bottom hard, with a little sand (see plate 84, fig. 5). 

 1,220 feet from shore; depth of water, 16 inches; bottom hard, rocky. 



The 6 specimens of this species exhibit no marked differences among them- 

 selves in calicular characters. There is the variation in form noted in the first 

 sentence of the description. 



I have been unable to identify this species with any of those recorded by 

 Bernard from the Great Barrier Reef. Its characters may be summarized as 

 follows: growth-form massive; calices with deep fossa, 1 to 1.5 mm. in diameter; 

 wall elevated, interrupted in places; pali, the formula complete, or reduced on the 

 directives and on the laterals of the triplet; columellar tubercle frequently absent. 

 Other details are given in the description. The species groups with P. australiensis, 

 new species, but differs from the latter by its deeper calices and less developed pali 

 and columellar tubercle. It is so very close to Porites brighami Vaughan, 1 from the 

 Hawaiian Islands, that I am not positive that they are distinct. Both have deep, 

 funnel-shaped calices, and usually weak pali, but which when fully developed are 

 according to the complete formula. The wall of P. brighami is more ragged, and 

 combined with the outer synapticular ring it is more compact than in P. murrayensis, 

 In none of the suite of the former in the U. S. National Museum are the pali and 

 columellar tubercle prominent in the calices near the lower edge of the living tissue; 

 while in the latter the reverse is true. In P. brighami there are usually 4 or 5 

 minute processes on the septal margins between the pali and the outer synapticular 

 ring, a larger number than on P. murrayensis, which may have one or two such 

 minute projections. For these reasons, although closely related, they appear to 

 represent different species. 



P. murrayensis and P. brighami furnish additional evidence of the Indo-Pacific 

 affinities of the Hawaiian Madreporarian fauna. 



Distribution. — Torres Strait. 



J U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. No. 59, p. 208, plate 84, figs. 3, 3a. 



