GENERAL HISTORY. 17 



the reasons previously given, all the species of JMonticulipora 

 were placed under the head of CJicetetes, Fischer. 



In 1876, a paper was published by me (Ann. Nat, Hist, sen 

 4, vol. xviii. p. 85, PI. v.), in which I corrected several errors 

 into which I had been led in my formerly published 

 descriptions of species of Monticulipora from the Lower 

 Silurian rocks of North America, and at the same time gave a 

 brief account of some of the more salient features exhibited 

 by microscopic sections of various species of the genus. 



In 1877, Dr Dybowski published a most important work 

 upon the Monticuliporoids, entitled ' Die Chsetetiden der Ost- 

 baltischen Silur-formation.' I regret greatly that I was 

 not aware of the existence of this work till within the 

 last two or three months, and that I was therefore entirely 

 unacquainted with it at the time that I published my work 

 upon the Palaeozoic " Tabulate Corals." Dr Dybowski's work 

 is, unfortunately, of much less value than it would otherwise 

 have been, owing to the fact that his material was derived 

 for the most part from a very limited area, and also that he 

 has greatly hampered himself by his desire to restore the 

 old Eichwaldian genera. For my own part, therefore, while 

 doing every justice to the great advance in our knowledge 

 effected by Dr Dybowski's work, I am sorry to find it impos- 

 sible to accept the greater part of his general conclusions. 

 At the same time, the work in question not only shows 

 remarkable industry, but is the first systematic attempt to 

 deal with the Monticuliporoids by means of modern methods 

 of inquiry ; and it thus is entitled to a full consideration. I shall 

 therefore give in this place a tolerably full analysis of its con- 

 tents ; though I do not think it necessary to notice more than 

 its most salient points, and I shall subsequently have occasion 

 to speak of some of its secondary features. 



In the first place, as regards nomenclature, Dr Dybowski 

 proposes the following terms {loc. cit., p. 9) : Each individual 

 corallite of the colony he designates by the name of a " Poly- 

 pit ; " but it hardly need be remarked that this term would be 



