548 ZOOPHYTES. 



of an inch thick), crovvdedly aggregated, and often parallel-wise, with 

 the surface very uneven, either with incipient ridges or tubercular 

 prominences, and adjoining fronds often thus united to one another : 

 the larger cells one-fifth of a line broad, with others smaller inter- 

 spersed. The large size of the cells will distinguish even incrusting 

 varieties from the platyphylla ; besides, the parallel position of the plates 

 and their forms are peculiar. The specimens were collected by J. P. 

 Couthouy. It grows over areas many feet in extent, covering dead 

 corals, and is alive for six or eight inches from the summits. The 

 plates often contain a nucleus of coral of some other species. 



8. MILLEPORA PLATYPHYLLA. (Ehrenberg.} 



M. basi effusa, frondibus lamellatis erectis, latissimis, 10" altis, lateribus 

 lamelliferis et coalitis (itaque reticulatis, intervallis 4-6" latis], apice 

 acutis ; super -fide levi, obsolete tuberculosa, tuberculis hemisphericis, 

 (zqualioribus. 



Spreading at base, lamellate fronds erect, very broad, 10 inches high, 

 sides lamelliferous and coalescent (and hence zoophytes reticulate 

 with intervals 4 to 6 inches broad), acute at summit ; surface smooth, 

 obsoletely tuberculous, tubercles hemispherical, nearly equal. 



Red Sea. Ehrenberg. Feejees. Exp. Exp. 



The above description is taken from Ehrenberg. He gives four 

 feet as the breadth of a clump. 



Figure 5, plate 52, represents a specimen from the Feejees, which 

 appears to belong to this species. The larger cells are about one- 

 eighth of a line in diameter. The upper edge of the frond is subacute, 

 mostly a line or a line and a half thick; and below, it is about half an 

 inch in thickness. (5 a, surface and cells, enlarged ; 5 b, appearance of 

 transverse section, natural size ; 5 c, same, enlarged.) 



/3. truncata. Plate 53, fig. 2, represents another specimen from the 

 Feejees, with the plates large, one-half to one inch thick, and with a 

 flat truncate summit ; larger cells about one-eighth of a line, and sur- 

 rounded by five or six smaller. It may be doubted whether it is a 

 variety of the above (2 a, surface and cells, natural size). 



