Species of Synocladia. 191 



3rd. Keel of the branches supplied with node-like pores, 

 the '' gemmuliferous vesicles "(?) of King. 



The points of difference expressed in the first paragraph do 

 not to my mind present an insurmountable difficulty to the 

 admittance of the Carboniferous specimens into the genus 

 Synocladia. I feel the greater confidence in so placing them, 

 because Prof. King in his generic diagnosis does not lay par- 

 ticular stress on the number of rows of cellules, but simply 

 says " distributed in longitudinal series," whereas it is only 

 in the specific diagnosis we find it stated that the cellules are 

 " in from three to five furrows."* 



The second and third points of difference are those only^ 

 which make me doubt the propriety of referring these peculiar 

 Polyzoa to Synocladia, viz. the possession of the supplemen- 

 tary irregularly scattered cell-apertures (if that is their true 

 nature) and the occurrence of the gemmuliferous vesicles on 

 the keels of the branches as well as on the stems. 



The reverse or non-celluliferous face of S. virgulacea is 

 represented by Prof. King as smooth ; but in the Carboniferous 

 specimens it is seen to be delicately and regularly striate, with 

 (scattered over the surface of both stems and branches) small , 

 round, open, pore-like apertures. The question arises, are 

 these the bases of the " root-like processes " on the underside 

 of the fronds mentioned by Prof. King as seen in the Permian 

 specimens? or, if not, what are they? If the former, then 

 the processes must have been broken off in the course of 

 fossilization. They occupy exactly the position of the root- 

 processes as shown in the ' Permian Fossils ' f. 



I propose to describe this form provisionally as a new spe- 

 cies of Synocladia^ under the specific name of 



Synocladia carbonaria, sp. nov. 



Polyzoarium a flattened plumose expansion, springing from 

 a small root of attachment. 



Interstices or stems rib-like, frequently bifurcating, much 

 stouter and stronger than the branches ; obverse celluliferous, 

 with a median rounded keel ; reverse rounded and striated. 



Dissepiments or branches short and simple, opposite branches 

 given off at an oblique angle from their respective stems, which 

 meeting, give rise to arched interspaces^jor fenestrules ; obverse 

 celluliferous ; reverse rounded ancl striate ; sometimes modified 

 into stems. 



Dividing ridges or keels on both stems and branches se- 



* Permian Fossils, pp. ^>S & 39. 

 t Plate iv. figs. 7 & 8. 



14* 



