TRIBE I. ASTR^E ACE A. 247 



East Indies. Exp. Ezp. 



This coral is remarkable for its very small cells and the rough 

 appearance of the surface, owing to the arenose fragile lamellae, 

 which are prominent around the cell ; these lamellce are about one- 

 third of a line wide at the truncate apex, and a quarter of a line high 

 above the septum. The stars in a transverse section contain six or 

 eight large lamella, with smaller intermediate. 



This species buds both in the intervals and by subdivision of 

 polyps. In habit, it appears to be near the A. Orb. stellifera, and the 

 allied, rather than the Fissicellae; yet it approaches the A. parvistella 

 and A. favulus. 



Madrepora intersepta, Esper, Pflanz. Fortsetz., i. 99, tab. 79. A recognisable figure, 

 except that the interstices are more frequently duplicate in the specimen examined. 



The Astrcea intersepta of Lamarck (No. 28, ii., 417) appears to be another species. It 

 is thus described : " A. incrustans, superficie reliculata, stellis subangulatis, contiguis, 

 margine mutico, lineolis notato; axe centrali." From the "Austral Seas." 



The Astrcea galaxea of Quoy and Gaymard (Voy. de 1'Ast., iv. 216, pi. 17, figs. 10, 

 14) is a species from Port Royal, New Holland, near the above, but probably distinct. 

 It is described as forming incrustations, either subglobose or plain, with circular multi- 

 lamellate cells one and a half to two lines broad, rather shallow and minutely coronate 

 within ; the lamellae are rounded, finely serrulate, and alternately larger. The figure 

 represents upwards of thirty lamella to a cell. 



B. LOBATO-RAMOS^! ET ANGtTLATJ3. 



53. ASTHMA ABDITA. (Ellis.} 



A. glomerata et gibbosa aut lobato-ramosa, angulata. CoraUum cellis 

 angulatis, 4-6'" latis, paulo profundis, patulis ; collibus acutis et 

 scepe tenuibus ; lamellis crenulato-dentatis. 



Glomerate, gibbous or lobato-ramose and angular. Corallum with 

 angular cells, 4 to 6 lines wide, shallow, patulous; ridges acute 

 and often thin ; lamellae crenulato-dentate. 



East Indies. 



This irregularly lobed species is remarkable for the sharp ridges 

 between the calicles, which are usually quite thin and trenchant. 



Mad. abdita, Ellis and Solander, 162, tab. Mad.favosa, var. 2, Esper, Fortsetz. i. tab. 

 50, fig. 2; a characteristic figure. 45 A, fig. 2; from Ellis. 



V~H 1 V 

 CA. 



