236 ZOOPHYTES. 



Specimens obtained in the Feejees apparently of the above species, 

 have the following characters (see plate 12, figs. 7, 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 d). 



Corallum cellular and rather light, and appearing coarse and rough 

 from the unequally prominent triangular lamellae ; cells angular, often 

 oblong and lobed ; two and a half to three lines broad, and some- 

 times seven lines long, not coronate within ; ridges subtriangular, 

 entire ; lamellae very unequal, not crowded, narrow at apex, and often 

 subacute, strongly denticulate : in a transverse section, septa not half 

 a line thick, stars few-rayed, with the cellules simple. It is near the 

 Meandrina dedalea in habit, and if distinct may be called the A. deda- 

 lina. 



Astreea deformis, Lamk., ii. 414, No. 20. Astrcea deformis, Lamouroux, Encyc., 129. 



" Stellis majusculis insequalibus, irregu- , Ehrenberg, G. Ix. sp. 8. 



laribus, multilamellosis ; lamellis supra A. Dipsastrcea deformis, Blainv. Man., 



marginem elevatis ; sulco nullo." 373. 



38. ASTR^EA VARIA. (Dana.) 



A. hemispherica, potypis s&pius 3'" latis, discis interdum distomatis aut 

 tristomatis. Corallum percellulosum ; cellis angulatis, subprofundis 

 aut profundis ; collibus lamellisque triangulatis etfere acutis; lamellis 

 tenuibus, incequalibus et incequaliter exsertis, subtiliter denticulatis ; 

 septis vix %'" crassis. 



Hemispherical, polyps mostly 3 lines broad, disks sometimes 2 or 3 

 mouthed. Corallum light cellular; cells angular, deep or rather so, 

 ridges and lamellae triangular and nearly acute above ; lamellae thin, 

 unequal and unequally exsert, finely denticulate ; septa scarcely 

 half a line thick. 



Plate 12, figs. 13 a, 13 b, sections of cells of different varieties, giving 

 profile of lamellae. 



West Indies. 



This species resembles closely the Meandrina spongiosa in its 

 lamellae and ridges, and may be only a variety of that species. Yet 

 large convex specimens present throughout the Astraea form of the 

 cell, with only a few, here and there, oblong. It appears to have the 

 same relation to the M. spongiosa, that the A. dedalina has to the M. 



