MADEEPOEA. 97 



belowj fused into a plate near the base. The under surface is rendered rough by a few 

 flattened twigs and appressed tubular corallites ; immersed corallites are rare. The branch- 

 lets on the upper surface are curved, slender, and very proliferous, 45 cm. long, and 1 cm. 

 thick at the base, rather crowded. The axial corallites are tubular, 2 mm. thick, and some- 

 times 4 mm. exsert, margin not rounded. Radial corallites very appressed, labellate, or half- 

 tubular, 4 mm. long near the apex, with long compressed lip ; aperture compressed, 2 mm. 

 long. The septa are little developed. Studer's figure shows the majority of the radial 

 corallites immersed, only those near the apex of the branchlets are elongate. The apices are 

 often proliferous, the divisions little spreading. The wall of the elongate corallites near the 

 apex is striate, but scarcely echinulate. The general surface is covered with plate-like 

 echinulations in rows. 



Pacific Ocean : New Ireland {Berlin Museum). 



89. Madrepora patella. 



Madrepora patella, Studer, MB. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1878, p. 526, pi. i. fig. 1. 



Corallum shallow-vasiform, almost flat, 38 cm. broad from a central pedicel 5 cm. high. 

 Branches radiating, crowded and coalescent, forming a solid plate in which the course of the 

 individual branches is recognizable, but towards the periphery they are less confluent and 

 form a close network. The under surface is provided with a few immersed corallites, but 

 towards the periphery appressed tubular corallites become gradually more pronounced. On 

 the upper surface of the branches numerous short strongly proliferous twigs or clusters of 

 corallites occur, which are about 1 cm. long and 1'4 cm. thick, and extend obliquely. The 

 axial corallites are cylindrical, thin-walled, 2 mm. diameter, often .3'5 mm. exsert towards the 

 centre of the colony, but less on the peripheral twigs. Radial corallites labellate, imbricate, 

 often with a compressed lip; aperture about 1"5 mm. The septa are not well developed in 

 either the axial or radial corallites. 



The species appears closely related to M. cytherea, as was recognized by Studer. It is a 

 curious fact that several species of Madrepora from the Solomon Islands come very near 

 indeed to species known from other localities and yet present minor diff'crences which may 

 prove to be of specific value. 



Bougainville Is., Solomon Islands {Berlin Museum). 



90. Madrepora corymbosa. 



Madrepora corymbosa, Lamarck (non Dana), Hist. Anim. sans Vert, t, ii. p. 279, ed. 2, p. 447 ; Deslong- 

 champs, Encyclop. p. 504 ; Blainville, Manuel d'Actin. p. 112 ; M.-Edwards & Haime, Coral- 

 liaires, t. iii. p. 154 ; Haeckel, Arabischo KoraUen, pi. iii. fig. 10 ; Klunzinger, Korallenth. d. 

 roth. Meeres, p. 24, pi. ii. fig. 2, pi. iv. fig. 1, pi. viii. fig. 21, pi. ix. fig. 16 ; Briiggemann, Thil. 

 Trans. 1879, vol. clxviii. p. 575 ; Ortmann, Zool. JB. 1888, Bd. iii. p. 152 (rum B.-8mith, Ann. 

 Mag. N. H. 1890, vol, vi. p. 454). 



Heteropora corymbosa, Ehrenberg, Corallentb. d. roth. Meeres, p. 112. 



Mad/repora ramiculosa, Queloh (non Dana), ' Challenger ' Eeef Corals, p. 159. 



Madrepora Jiabellifoi-mis, B.-Smith {non M.-Edwards & Haime), Ann. Mag. N. H. 1890, vol. vi. p. 445). 



