lv PREFACE. 
From these and other sources the collection in the Museum has grown to its 
present extent, the number of specimens of the genus Madrepora amounting to 
1104. They are described in the present volume under 180 specific names, 
the total number of species of the genus amounting to 221. 
The task of arranging these materials with the nomenclature most conformable 
to the preceding literature was surrounded by unusual difficulties ; and although 
the Author was assisted by a series of named specimens of Klunzinger’s Red Sea 
Madrepores purchased some years ago, by one species collected by Haeckel in 
Ceylon and described by Ortmann, and by the whole of the ‘Challenger’ types, 
he would not have succeeded so well in his work if he had not, at considerable 
personal sacrifice, visited the principal collections on the Continent with the object 
of studying the types contained in them. The Museum, besides, is greatly 
indebted to him for the care bestowed on the curatorial part of the work, 
by which every specimen has been now rendered available for future study. 
ALBERT GUNTHER, 
Keeper of the Department of Zoology. 
British Museum, NV. lske 
June 16th, 1893. 
