iv 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 a series collected by Prof. 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 Musewn, iV. H., 



Juiie \Gth, 1803. 



