190 MADEEPORAEIA. 



M. granulosa in habit. Branches 1 1 cm. long, 7 mm. thick, subterete near the base, but 

 becoming divided into broad, much-flattened divisions, which are more or less completely 

 fused together. The imder surface bears stunted twigs on the margins of the flattened 

 branches, pressed into the general plane ; they consist usually of a thick, elongate tubular 

 corallite from 8 to 12 mm. long, and 2'5 to 4 mm. thick, usually bearing short appressed 

 tubular to subimmersed corallites; a very small number of immersed corallites are also 

 scattered over the under surface. The upper surface of the flattened branches bears a number 

 of stout nariform or hemicotyloid corallites usually disposed in three or four irregular rows, 

 two of which are lateral and give a serrate outline to the margins ; they are 3 to 4 mm. long 

 and 2 mm. thick. From amongst these corallites a large number of slender branchlets extend 

 sub vertically, which are 1'5 to 2' 5 cm. long and 4 mm. thick at the base; the distal portion 

 frequently consists of 3 or 4 spreading, elongate, tapering, tubular corallites, 7 to 15 mm. long, 

 the larger ones 25 mm. diameter at the base and 1 mm. at the apex ; some are simple, but 

 the majority bear a few nariform, short labellate or tubular bud-corallites, sometimes to within 

 1'5 mm. of the apex. The aperture of all the tubular corallites is small, one third the diameter 

 or under; wall rather porous, but the surface is dense ; margin plane or slightly rounded, but 

 not suddenly incurved. The septa have a variable development in difl'erent parts of the 

 corallum ; the primaries are subequal, or the directives may be prominent and the others 

 narrow, and a second cycle may be more or less completely represented. Corallum dense ; 

 surface clothed with crowded blunt echinulations, which may be arranged in rows on the walls. 



M. fragilis, B. -Smith, is apparently a young form of this species, in which the flattened 

 branches have not yet become fused together. 



Var. minor. 

 The variety of M. rambleri recorded by Bassett-Smith, but not described, agrees closely 

 with the type in habit, but the whole of the subdivisions are smaller. The chief distinction 

 rests in the branchlets, which are about 1'5 cm. long and bear numerous, rather spreading, 

 tubular, dimidiate or labellate corallites often 4 mm. long and 1 mm. in diameter; the 

 tubular corallites are only 3 to 5 mm. long, scarcely tapering, and rarely over 1 mm. diameter 

 at the base. The wall, particularly of the tubular corallites, is finely striate, the striae being 

 dentate. 



China Sea. 



a. Tizard Bank, 26 fath. H.M.S. ' Rambler.' 89. 9. 24. 152. (Type.) 



b. Macclesfield Bank, 27 fath. H.M.S. ' Rambler.' 89. 9. 24. 153. (Type of M. 



fragilis, B.-Sm.) Young. 

 c, d. Macclesfield Bank, 31 fath. H.M.S. ' Penguin.' 92. 10. 17. 18 & 19. 



e. Macclesfield Bank, 20 fath. H.M.S. ' Rambler.' 89. 9. 24. 72. (Var. minor.) 



f. Macclesfield Bank, 18 to 28 fath. H.M.S. ' Penguin.' 92. 10. 17. 20. (Var. minor.) 



