PORITES. 7 
The ‘Challenger’ Collection was said to yield seven new “species.” But, daring here to 
look beyond these imaginary groups, we find that the whole number of the forms discovered 
are definite additions to our knowledge of the genus. 
In 1887, Dr. Rathbun * catalogued the Porites in the United States National Museum, 
and described one as new. He calls attention to the fact that all Dana’s types except two are 
in the collection. It is to be hoped that good photographs will, ere long, be published in order 
to supplement Dana’s drawings and descriptions which, though excellent when published, are 
now quite inadequate for purposes of identification. Figures of different forms asswmed by 
Porites “ clavaria” and “ P. furcata”’ are given, and their extended distribution, coupled with 
the great difficulty of distinguishing between them, is commented on. 
In 1888, Dr. Ortmann described the corals in the Strasburg Museum, with special 
reference to geographical distribution. They were all “identified” with many “species ” already 
described. As all such identifications of small collections are necessarily guesswork, a 
geographical distribution of the “species” only means the distribution of the forms to 
which the same names have been given. 
In 1889, the same writer ¢ gave a description of the genus in terms of his new system of 
classification. The calicles are said to be small, circumscribed, since the ccenenchyma is 
compressed to thin or moderately thick polygonal, porous false-walls.§ There are, further, said 
to be 5-6 pali-like granules on the septa. Again, the specimens from Ceylon, collected by 
Professor Haeckel, were all referred to recorded “species.” In 1892 (Zool. Jahrb., vi.), a new 
“species” was described by Dr. Ortmann from the East Coast of Africa. 
In 1892,|] Dr. Rehberg described the corals in the Hamburg Museum. In two cases he 
gives the masculine termination to the specific name, P. solidus Forsk., P. profundus Rehberg. 
Two new “species” were described. 
In 1895, Professor Gregory discussed the three Lamarckian names, clavaria, furcata, and 
astreoides, arriving at conclusions which will be dealt with in Part II. of this volume. 
In 1896, Miss Ogilvie ** made a bold attempt to analyse the morphology of the Madre- 
porarian system on practically one leading character—viz. the fine structure of the septa. 
Porites is frequently mentioned, but the problem of its position was finally given up as insoluble. 
The author (1. c. 218) described the skeleton, and figured ground-plans showing 
the relation of septa, cost and zigzag synapticular walls in two forms. No wide range of 
specimens, however, were examined ; hence the description is not, at least as far as the thin 
zigzag wall is concerned, applicable to the whole genus, while the septal formula is incorrect. 
Figures showing the minute texture of the skeleton are also given. With regard to Miss 
* Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., x. p. 358. { Zool. Jahrb., iii. (syst.) p. 143. 
t Zool Jahrb., iv. (syst.) p. 500. 
§ The term “false-wall” is apparently not used here as equivalent to the condition implied in 
the term ‘‘ Pseudo-thecalia,” but rather to that implied in Dr. Ortmann’s term “ Athecalia.” 
|| Abh. Nat. Verein Hamburg, xii. heft. 1, p. 46. 
4 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., li. p. 282. ** Phil. Trans., clxxxvii. p. 88. 
