132 



MADKEPOEARIA. 



inner wall ; the outer part of the wall always thick, with rounded margin. Diameter usually 

 2*5 to 3 mm., but variable, some are little over 1 mm. ; length 3 to 6 mm. Wall thickly 

 covered with flattened dendritic spines, usually so close as to give a papillose appearance to 

 the upper part of each corallite, but more open below. Septa as in the axial corallites, ex- 

 cepting that the directives are distinctly larger than the other primaries. 



A fine specimen from Diego Garcia difl'ers somewhat from the type form. The base gives 

 rise to four stout radiating branches, each of which is 15 to 17 cm. long, and again forked, 

 recalling the habit of Madrepora alces, Dana. The apex of each division is rounded, and the 

 tubular corallites are mostly 2 mm. exsert, but in other respects the specimen agrees with 

 more typical examples. 



There is a small specimen in the Paris Museum bearing the name Astrtea palifera in 

 Lamarck's handwriting ; the label is gummed on to the specimen, and there seems every 

 reason to suppose, in the absence of other specimens, that this is the type of Lamarck's 

 species. This specimen is identical with Madrepora labrosa, Dana, and that name is also 

 written in pencil across the original label. One need have no hesitation as to the identity 

 were it not for the fact that Blainville referred Lamarck's species to the genus Gemmippra, and 

 formed a separate section for its reception with the following characters : — " C. Crustiformes 

 et appliques." As the specimen in question consists of only the rounded apex of a plate, the 

 characters given by Blainville may be considered applicable to it, although it is possible that 

 more than one species was included under the name. Later, Dana described and figured 

 Turbinaria palifera as the species of Lamarck, and M. -Edwards admitted the entry in his 

 " Coralliaires " without comment; thus Astrcea palifera, Lamk., and Turbinaria palifera, 

 Dana, have hitherto been regarded as identical. It will in future be necessary to regard 

 Turbinaria palifera as a new species described by Dana. 



Var. a. 



The specimens numbered A; to w come somewhat intermediate between typical 

 M. palifera and M. brueggemanni. They have thick branches with broad flat apices, or even 

 sometimes there is only one axial corallite. The radial corallites are irregular, and some 

 are somewhat elongate with a convex outer margin such as occurs in M. brueggemanni 

 var. uncinata ; in other cases the wall is rough, and there is then an approach to the condition 

 of M. hispida. 



Indo-Pacific Ocean : Torres Straits, Great-Barrier Reef, Sulu Sea, New Guinea, Solomon 

 Islands, China Sea, Diego Garcia. 



a, b. N.E. Queensland. 

 c, d. New Guinea. 

 e,f. Solomon Islands. 



g. Tizard Bank, 5 fathoms. 



A. Diego Garcia, 

 t, /. Capricorn Islands. 



k. Port Denison. 

 I, m. Palm Island. 



n. Thursday Island. 



J. B. Jukes, Esq. [C.]. 45. 8. 12. 5 & 6. 

 Rev. S. Macfarlane [P.]. 87. 1. 29. 4 & 5. 

 Dr. Guppy [P.]. 84. 12. 11. 16 & 17. 

 H.M.S. ' Rambler.' 89. 9. 24. 102. 

 G. C. Bourne, Esq. [P.]. 91. 4. 9. 2. 

 Saville-Kent Coll. 92. 6. 8. 50 & 51. 

 Saville-Kent Coll. 92. 6. 8. 52. (Var. a.) 

 Saville-Kent Coll. 92. 6. 8. 53 & 54. (Var. a.) 

 Saville-Kent Coll. 92. 6. 8. 67. (Var. «.) 



