10 INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 



Group 27. — Genus FUNGIA (Lamarck) and allies. 

 Estimated number of species : recent, 32 ; British, ; 

 fossil, 9 ; chiefly Mesozoic. 



H Specimens of Fungia, shewing the attachment of 

 the young corals to the under-side of the 

 parent coral, which is itself free and un- 

 attached. 

 Specimens of Herpetolitha, the Slug-coral ; and of 

 Polyphyllia, the Mole-coral. 



Upper Compartment. 

 Genus Halomitra Dana ; the corallum is deeply 

 cup-shaped, and shews, within, the truncated 

 fru strum of a former corallum on which the 

 present specimen seems to have been developed. 

 The same peculiarity has been observed by the 

 writer in other specimens of Halomitra. 



Group 28. — Genus MERULINA (Ehrenberg). MpuM, to 

 wind, in allusion to the corded appearance of the sur- 

 face. The coralla take the form of leaves spread out 

 one above the other. Estimated number of species : 

 recent, 7 ; British, ; fossil, 0. 



H Specimens from the Sooloo Sea and the Fiji 

 Islands. 



Group 29.— Genus ECHINOPORA (Lamarck). Echinus, 

 the Hedge-hog. This and the preceding group exhibit 

 forms of transition between the Fungidae and the 

 Astraeidae. Estimated number of species: recent, 8; 

 British, 0; fossil, 1. 



If Specimens from the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. 



