MADREPORA. 91 
primary septa become confluent and form a solid axial rod, which is often rounded and 
nodular at its apex. This form may prove to be a distinct species. 
Amboina; Solomon Islands. 
a. Amboina. H.M.S. ‘Challenger.’ 86. 12. 9. 287. 
(Type=M. effusa, Quelch.) 
b. Treasury Island, Solomon Islands. Dr. Guppy [P.]. 84.12.11. 21. (Var. paradoxa.) 
83. Madrepora cerealis. 
? Madrepora muricata, var., Esper. Pflanzenth. Fortsetz. Th. i. pl. li. 
Madrepora cerealis, Dana, Zoophytes, p. 460, pl. xxxv. fig. 2; M.-Edwards & Haime, Coralliaires, t. ili. 
p. 151; Verrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 1864, vol. i. p. 42; Studer, Mitth. naturf. Ges. Bern, 
1880, p. 22; Quelch, ‘ Challenger’ Reet Corals, p. 153; Rathbun, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1887, 
vol, x. p. 13 (non Ortmann, Zool. JB. 1888, Bd. iti. p. 152). 
Madrepora secale, Quelch (non Studer), Challenger’ Reef Corals, p. 163. 
Corallum broad cespitose, somewhat convex; not complanate below, but this may be 
owing to the type not being a full-grown specimen; it measures 12°5 cm. in height and 
15 cm. in diameter. Branchlets numerous, erect, spiciform, 6 to 8 mm. thick and 5 mm. 
long, not terete, very unevenly covered with corallites, some of which are long and 
proliferous. Axial corallites 15 mm. diameter, a little prominent. Radial corallites 
appressed, subtubular, unequal, 2 to 3 mm. long, subrostrate, exterior smooth ; aperture 
elliptical ; star very short and imperfectly distinct ; the directive septa are a little prominent, 
(Dana.) 
A specimen in the collection, from Wreck Bay, agrees almost exactly with Dana’s 
figure. The axial corallites are cylindrical, 2 mm. diameter, and have a rather dense wall. 
Radial corallites tubular, with subimmersed to labellate or half-tubular ones between. The 
more prominent tubular corallites often have the inner part of the wall as prominent as the 
outer, and are frequently arranged in irregular longitudinal rows; length 2 to 4 mm., 
diameter 1:2 to 1:8 mm. The axial corallites have only 6 septa, and the directives are rather 
broader than the others. In the tubular radial corallites the directive septa are broad and 
subequal, but are situated deep down; the other primary septa are either absent or very 
narrow. In immersed and subimmersed corallites the septa are better developed. In a speci- 
men from Mauritius the tubular radial corallites have rarely a circular aperture, and the 
axial corallites show indications of a second cycle of septa. In the specimens which form 
part of Mr. Saville-Kent’s collection the aperture of the radial corallites is still more oblique 
and often slit-like. 
The ‘ Challenger’ specimens referred by Quelch to M. secale and M. cerealis appear to 
me to belong to one species, but differ in several points from typical M. cerealis. The speci- 
men referred to M. secale is a small corymbose clump in which the marginal branches 
extend a little obliquely, but are not fused together. 
The other specimen is considerably larger and a fusion takes place between the main 
branches, which are prostrate and subcomplanate below. The under surface is provided with 
short stunted branchlets in the general plane, and with appressed, tubular, or verruciform 
corallites. There is here a general resemblance to M. assimilis, but on the upper surface tlie 
