TRIBE III. MADREPORACEA. 48? 



Plate 43, fig. 2, corallum, natural size ; 2 a, extremity of a small 

 branch. 



East Indies (?). Exp. Exp. 



This species differs from the labrosa in its cylindrical calicles, which 

 have the margin entire, and not wanting on the upper side, as in that 

 species ; also in its narrower quadrate plates. The calicles are also 

 broader at apex than below, somewhat scattered and very short. The 

 specimen in the collections is six inches in breadth, and consists of a 

 cluster of oblong plates from a common base, each three or four inches 

 long, two to two and a half inches broad, and one-half to one inch 

 thick. 



64. MADREPORA CUNEATA. (Dana.} 



M. basi incrustans et dijfusa, laminis lolisve erectis, latis, paucis, re- 

 motis, margine cuneatis et subacutis, supe.rfaie incequatt. Corallum 

 caliculis confertissimis, subcequalibus, validis, tubiformibus, brevibus, 

 1-1 i'" longis et f'" latis, non striatis. 



Incrusting and spreading, with a few distinct, erect, broad plates or 

 lobes, cuneate above and subacute at margin, surface uneven. Co- 

 rallum having the calicles closely crowded, subequal, stout, tubi- 

 form, 1 to 1 lines long, and ^ of a line broad; not striate. 



Feejee Islands. Exp. Exp. 



Occurs in coarse incrusting plates, often with the margin recurved, 

 and bearing here and there, from the surface, short erect plates, two 

 or three inches broad, having a trenchant margin. This last-men- 

 tioned character, the mode of growth arid smaller calicles distinguish 

 it from the quadrata. This species, as well as the two preceding, 

 approximate to the Manoporse, but have the firmer and heavier tex- 

 ture and regular calicles of the Madreporae. 



APPENDIX. The Madrepora laxa of Lamarck, is not above included, 

 as its place in the arrangement is not ascertained; it is thus described : 

 M. laxe ramosa, ramis teretibus, undique expansis apice proliferis. 

 Corallum caliculis tubiformibus, insequalibus, extus echinulatis. 



