54 MADREPORARIA. 
This description is founded on Dana’s text and figures. The “puncture-like” calicles 
and the walls as shown in the figure are of interest. Dana called attention to the resemblance 
of this coral to that figured No. 4, pl. xli. in Ellis and Solander’s “ Zoophytes” (1786). But 
until the original of that coral is discovered, it is useless adding to the guesses which have been 
made as to what it was. 
29. Porites Fiji Islands (9414, (P. Fidjiensis quartadecima.) 
[‘“ Feejee Islands,” coll. Wilkes Expedition, 1838-1842. | 
Syn. Porites informis Dana, Zooph, (1848) p. 565, pl. lv. figs. 6, 6a, 6), 6c. 
Synarea informis Verrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 1. (1864) p. 42.* 
Description.—The corallum is amorphous, and tends to produce stout, gibbous rather than 
columnar masses; the lobed surface is sparingly “erose.”” The summit is not flat-topped. 
The calicles are superficial, and scarcely distinguishable; they appear as minute pin-hole 
fossze surrounded by groups of frosted granules, which are the six pali. The walls are wide 
and covered with scattered granules, unlike the pali. 
We can gather further from the figures that the walls and septa were composed of flat 
flakes, so that in section the horizontal elements were almost more pronounced than the 
vertical (fig. 6c.) There appears also to have been a ring of septal granules running irregularly 
round the pali. 
The living polyps are pale yellow, surrounded by brown (see Dana’s coloured fig. 6a) ; 
the tentacles are “ obsolete.” 
Compare this with P. Fiji Islands 15, in which the skeletal elements show the alternative 
extreme of specialisation. The single specimen was 7°5 cm. high and 10 cm. in diameter. 
30. Porites Fiji Islands @al5. (P. Fidjiensis quintadecima.) 
is Feejee Islands,” coll. Wilkes Expedition, 1838-1842. ] 
Syn. Porites monticulosa Dana, Zooph. (1848) p. 566, pl. lv. figs. 7, Ta, 7), Te. 
Synarea monticulosa Verrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 1. (1864) p. 42.* 
Description.—The corallum is amorphous, tending to rise into erect columns or lobes 
2°5 to 7°5 em. thick and 5 em. high, with round, truncated tops. The surface is everywhere 
angularly “erose,” or monticulose, the lateral monticles crowded, often sub-triangular and 
ascending, never coalescing into carinate ridges ; smaller on the summits. 
The calicles are superficial, scarcely distinguishable. The whole surface is a mosaic of large 
frosted granules of equal sizes and at uniform distances apart; according to Dana’s fig. 78, 
* See footnote, p. 51. 
