Mr. P. M. Duncan on the Corals of the Maltese Miocene. 275" 



vated above the intercalicular spaces, and are well open. The 

 wall is well developed ; its calicular margin is blunt, and it is 

 marked externally by fine and distinct costse. The calicular 

 fossa is not deep; but the shallow fossae of worn specimens are 

 deceptive. The septa, in six systems of three cycles, are very 

 delicate, not crowded, thin, slightly exsert, dentate, and un- 

 equal; the primary (the largest) extend to the columella; they 

 nave a small paliform tooth, and they are slightly thicker at the 

 wall than elsewhere (in many specimens, owing to the form of 

 fossilization, they are stout and are largest at the columella and 

 wall). The secondary septa are smaller than the primary, but 

 larger than the tertiary ; they are thinner, and do not reach the 

 columella ; the tertiary project from the wall, and now and then 

 curve towards the secondary. All are perforated occasionally, 

 and are very fragile and granular. The costse are slightly in- 

 clined at the calice, faintly dentate, and subequal, there not 

 being that difference between them which there is between the 

 septa ; on the wall they project as thin laminse with an irregular 

 margin, and usually touch those of other corallites. The colu- 

 mella is feebly developed, and, in some corallites, barely exists; 

 but, as a rule, it is small, distinct, and projects at the bottom of 

 the fossa : it is parietal. The endotheca is very scanty. The 

 exotheca is sparely developed. The ccenenchyma exists in some 

 spots, and is cellular; but it is by no means strongly developed. 



Height of corallites -rg— -fo mcn j width of calices -po - - <r inch. 



This Coral presents several varieties. 



Var. ], with deeper calices than the type. 



„ 2, with the primary costse larger than those of the type, 



,, 3, with smaller calices ~\ ,, ,-, r ,, 



" / .,, • 7 , ,. >- than those of the type. 



„ 4, with wider-apart calices J Jl 



The calcareous fossilization of this species alters the appear- 

 ance of many specimens; in general, all the hard textures are 

 thicker than those of the type, consequently the septa, wall, 

 and costre are larger, moreover their details are worn off. The 

 best specimens are often intermingled with portions containing 

 casts ; and when this is the case, the interspaces are solid ; but 

 the original sclerenchyma has been destroyed, leaving vacant 

 spaces. 



The species is more closely allied to Astraa (Heliastraa) Bar- 

 badensis, nobis*, and to Astraa {Heliastraa) annularis, Ellis and 

 Solander, sp., than to any others. The first is from the Bai'- 

 badian marl ; and the last is a recent species, probably from 

 Oceania. The wide-apart calices and well-developed columella 

 of Astraa (Heliastrcea) Raulini-\, Ed. & Haime, form a specific 



* Duncan, " West Indian Fpssil Corals," Quart, Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xix. 

 t Milne-Edwards and Jutes Haime, Hist. Nat. des Corall. vol. ii. p. 474. 



18* 



