POLYNESIAN GONIOPOR.E. 43 



The single specimen is 11 cm. long, 4-5 cm. across, and 2-3 cm. deep. It is a long 

 narrow ridge, sawn off just below the last living colony, on the one side of which the living 

 layer is rollin<J over, while on the other a continuous pellicular epitheca, coming up from the 

 nearly vertical side, is covering over the dying calicles. This pellicle is not smooth and 

 shining, but granular and chalky. It is, consequently, difficult to designate this method of 

 growth — the rolling edge suggests what we find in the " pulvinate" growth-forms. (Cf. also 

 G. Red Sea 6, PI. XIII. fig. 13.) 



The chief characteristic of this specimen lies in the great depth of the calicles. Even the 

 lateral calicles, though shallower, retain their special characters almost more marked than any 

 other known Goniopore — that is, their tendency to return to the primitive type (see Introduc- 

 tion, p. 22), though apparent, docs not go very far. It shows itself chiefly in the appearance 

 of a group of paliform gi-anules on the floor of the still deep calicle. This is also characteristic 

 of the pulvinate method of growth, and is readily understood by reference to the diagram C in 

 the Introduction, p. 24. Owing to the number of deep buds the calicles on the top appear to 

 be of all sizes, irregular in shape, slightly angular, and with strong-looking walls, the top 

 edges of which are not uniformly level over the whole surface. 



For the list of deep-calicled Goniopores, see Table TV. B (5) a, p. 179. 



The rose-pink colour of the dead stock is found also in the form G. Great Barrier Reef 

 11, which has also somewhat similar calicles, though not so deep. The growth-form also is 

 different. 



10. Goniopora Fiji Islands (i)l. 

 [Wilkes Expedition.] 

 "Goni(ypora colurmui," Dana, Zoophytes (1848), p. .570, pi. 56, figs. 5, 5a, 56. 



Description. — Corallum forms compressed, cylindrical, sub-clavate columns 25-50 cm. high, 

 '5-10 cm. thick, summits rounded, furcately subdividing above, alive for 5-7 cm. 



Calicles angular, " excavate," 3 mm. across ; margin sharp, granular. Lateral calicles very 

 shallow, without distinct septa ("lamellre"). 



Corallum very porous. 



This is in substance Dana's original description. From the figure it would appear as if 

 the epitheca formed a continuous pellicle over the dead portion, as no traces of the corroded 

 calicles are shown. Usually the calicles show through. There are " no distinct " septa, and 

 in the figure (56) septa are merely indicated round the ed^es of a few calicles. Dana's distinct 

 statement precludes us from supposing that the specimen had not been cleaned. It may be 

 that, as in the columnar form G. Singapore 2 (see PI. XII. fig. 13), the skeleton was melted 

 down into a granular reticulum in which the radial symmetrj' had become obscured (PI. VI. 

 figs. 1 and 2). 



The polyps are described as being cylindrical, salient, 4-6 mm. ; of a pale lilac colour, 

 and with 18-24 tentacles. 



This cylindrical growth-form is not rare (see Table III. p. 169). But in Dana's coral there 

 were some peculiarities; the columns forked, and were very tall, up to 2 feet ; then again the 



G 2 



