26 Cincinnati Society of Natural History, 



ameter, these little branches, about a line or a little less in diameter, 

 radiated off so completely covering the surface, that at the distance of 

 about three inches from the point of radiation, sixtj'^-eight were counted 

 in a quadrant. Sometimes they radiate from the root or stem in ever}' 

 direction so as to almost cover a circular space. After the branches 

 leave the root they remain single, and seem to fade away in the slab at 

 the distance of two, three or four inches, though there is little or no 

 apparent diminution in size until at the point of disappearance. 



The specimen figured is from C. B. Dyer's collection, and was found 

 in the upper part of the Cincinnati Group, near Lebanon, Ohio. It 

 shows the branches in a bundle before spreading, and about fifteen 

 branches gently flowing off to the left, while the remainder continue in 

 the fascicular condition, until they pass from view in the slab. Mr. 

 S. T. Carley, of Bantam, Clermont county, Ohio, has a number of very 

 fine specimens collected in that locality, from which part of the fore- 

 going description was drawn. 



The definition of the genus is broad enough to include this species, 

 though it is so different from any that have been defined that no com- 

 parison with any of them is necessary. 



MoNTicuLiPORA CALCEOLUS u. sp. (Plate I,, fig. 11, natural size; fig. 

 llrt, magnified view of the cells.) 



[Ety.— Cwiceo^MS, a little shoe.] 



This little coral, so far as our observation has extended, is alwaj'S 

 found in the shape of a little wooden shoe. For the purpose of describ- 

 ing it, we will regard the upper end, as shown in the figure, as the 

 anterior, and the lower as the- posterior ; and from the assistance fur- 

 nished by a longitudinal microscopic section, kindly prepared for our 

 use by Dr. J. H. Hunt, we are enabled, as we think, to define the man- 

 ner of its growth. 



We may suppose a single embryo from an egg, or in the form of a 

 ciliated animalcule, floating free in the waters of an ocean ; then be- 

 coming a simple bryozoon, and secreting a single, calcareous, cup- 

 shaped cell, and forming for itself an epithecal covering for its base." 

 It now increases b^'^ gemmiparous reproduction, each little bryozoon 

 attaching itself b}' a point to the parental extension of the epithecal 

 covering, and gradually enlarging its cup-shaped cell by the side of its 

 parent. We now have the commencement of this coral at the upper 

 side of the anterior end. This method of growth at once forms a con- 

 cave base, which is prolouged into a circular expanding cup. The 

 bryozoa upon the lower side, instead of attaching themselves bj' a 

 mere point to the epithecal covering now secrete this material for part 

 of the side of each cup, and thus form each individual cell into a little 



