INDIAN OCEAN GONTOPORiE. 89 



radially disposed parts to differentiate them from the thick raggedly reticular walls. Seen 

 from above the skeleton appears to be a delicate, friable, filamentous sponge-work, but viewed 

 slantingly the reticulum is seen to be composed of a sheaf of very thin vertical and ragged 

 flakes (fig. 4). Here and there these are disposed as radial septa, but much bent and twisted ; 

 in the majority of cases, as stated, the bending and twisting is so great that the radial 

 symmetry is completely obscured. At the sides the walls appear better defined, the symmetry 

 of the calicle can here and there be made out, and the septa slope inwards as rows of long 

 delicate teeth. The laminate character of the reticulum may here be almost entirely lost, 

 and the skeletal elements appear wholly filamentous. Indeed, when the lateral calicles 

 become very shallow the whole skeleton is an elegant filamentous reticulum, walls and in- 

 ternal skeleton alike, with hardly any appearance of radial septal plates. All the ordinary 

 lateral calicles, however, show distinct traces of lamination when carefully examined (fig. 5). 



In this coral, of which there is unfortunately only one specimen known, the ragged top 

 has melted down into a reticulum with more complete loss of radial symmetry than was seen 

 in the last coral. The specimen described as G. Maldives 2, b, seems to lead on to it, except 

 that there at least some of the septa persist as conspicuous radial structures within the fossa. 

 The three forms are clearly allied, but we want a larger series before we can arrange them in 

 any developmental order. All we can say at present is that this last form described is the 

 most specialised in the obscuration of the radial septa by the thickening of the laminate wall- 

 reticulum. 



The growth-form is quite typical, the top surface consisting of a sheaf of laminate septa 

 twisted and crushed together, and all with toothed edges ; the lateral surfaces of the stock look 

 in parts as if composed solely of these teeth. I do not say that this description is a true 

 account of the morphology ; if it is, it requires explaining. I am more inclined to regard the 

 purely filamentous reticulum of these parts as abnormal, and due to the proximity of foreign 

 bodies, while the filamentous texture of the ordinary lateral calicles may be regarded as due 

 to their having retained more nearly the primitive characters of the genus; in each case 

 they show some traces of the peculiar modification of this form, viz. the lamination of the 

 skeletal texture. 



Cambridge University Museum. 



The fragment b of the last type above alluded to is in the British Museum, and being 

 structurally a transitional form (though with larger calicles) will help to illustrate the 

 peculiarities of this coral. 



59. Goniopora Maldives (4) 4. (PI. VII. fig. 6 ; PI. XIII. fig. 9.) 



[Felulu (25-28 fathoms), Nilandu (24 fathoms), Suvadiva (42 fathoms), Kolumadulu 

 (40-45 fathoms), coll. J. Stanley Gardiner ; Cambridge University and British Museums.] 



Description. — Corallum built up of successive hemispherical, almost columnar, caps fitting 

 imperfectly into one another. The youngest from 1*5 to 2 cm. in diameter, with epitheca 



N 



