i8 THE GENUS MONTICULIPORA. 



regarded by English naturalists as a very objectionable one, 

 since the term "polypite" has become indissolubly connected 

 with the Hydrozoa. " Axenhohle " is defined as the cavity 

 found in the long axis of a cylindrical or dendroid corallum, 

 which is not provided with a special lining membrane. So 

 far as I have seen, the occurrence of such a cavity is purely 

 accidental, and is due to the dissolution of the central portion 

 of the corallum prior to fossilisation, or to the fact that the 

 foreign body upon which the colony grew has been removed 

 in a similar fashion, I do not think, therefore, that any 

 special term is needed to indicate the presence of such a 

 phenomenon. On the other hand, the name of " Axenrohr " 

 is given to the axial tube of certain forms like Stenopora 

 colmmiaris, Dyb., where the cavity is lined by a special mem- 

 brane. I have never observed any such cavity in any Monti- 

 culiporoid — except, perhaps, in M. calceola, Miller and Dyer — 

 and can therefore pronounce no opinion as to its real nature 

 and value. The term of " Wandrohrchen " or " Porenkanal- 

 chen " is proposed for delicate canals or tubuli which run in 

 the walls of the corallites, and parallel with the long axes of 

 these; and the name of" Hockerchen" is given to the super- 

 ficial spiniform projections of these. These structures are 

 identical with those which I shall subsequently describe under 

 the name of " spiniform corallites," and I take an entirely 

 different view as to their nature from that held by Dybowski. 

 As will be subsequently seen, I regard them as being in no 

 way analogous to the " intramural canals " of many " Tabulate 

 Corals," but as representing a peculiarly modified series of 

 corallites ; and the name of " Wandrohrchen " would thus be 

 an inappropriate one. 



The name of " Wandstrange " is given by Dybowski to what 

 he describes as " dendritic or streak-like (' streifenartig '), solid, 

 sclerenchymatous structures which are situated on the inner 

 side of the walls of the corallites." The above description 

 would have left me quite in the dark as to the nature of the 

 structures referred to by this name ; but after examination of 



