112 TABULATE CORALS. 



Rominger, as above quoted. Judging, however, from Dr 

 Rominger's figures {loc. cit., PI. XXIV.), and accepting the 

 general accuracy of his observations as regards the presence of 

 tabulae and mural pores, it appears impossible to doubt that we 

 have to deal in Vermipora, Hall, with a true Favositoid coral, 

 and not with a Polyzoan. In fact, Vermipora would not 

 appear to be structurally separable from Favositcs, except by 

 the disjunct condition of the tubes towards their superficial 

 terminations — the limited development of the tabulae and the 

 irregular distribution of the mural pores being features of minor 

 importance, and being, perhaps, not always present. 



Though I have not had access to any American specimens 

 which I could unhesitatingly refer to the present genus, my 

 friend Dr Lindstrom has kindly sent me some examples of a 

 small coral from the Upper Silurian of Gotland, with the label 

 Favosites clausus, n. sp,, which appear to me to be unques- 

 tionably congeneric with Vermipora, Hall. I shall therefore 

 proceed to briefly describe the structure of these under the 

 name of Vei^mipora ciatisa, Lindst, sp. ; and I will only add 

 here, that I am inclined to think it very probable that in reality 

 the genus Vermipora, Hall, is identical with the previously- 

 described Fletcheria of Edwards and Haime. The latter 

 genus is, however, stated to increase by calicinal gemmation, 

 and to be destitute of mural pores ; and as I have had no 

 opportunity of examining any specimens of the type-species 

 {F. tubifera, E. and H.), I shall at present leave it in the 

 position to which it was assigned by the distinguished French 

 palaeontologists, and also by Professor Martin Duncan — viz., in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Syringopora} 



^ It may be observed that there is some resemblance in external appearance 

 between Vermipora and some of the corals which have been referred to A itlopora ; 

 and it does not seem impossible that such species of the latter as the A. spicata 

 of Goldfuss (Petref. Germ., p. 83, PI. XXIX., fig. 3), may prove on microscopic 

 examination to belong to the Favositida, and to be referable to Vermipora, Hall. 



