Cretaceous Species of Podoseris, Dunc. 33 
very stout, the septa have corresponding large granules upon 
the free upper edges, or after the effects of weathering these 
granules may have disappeared and deep holes exist in their 
place. A very interesting structure is sometimes seen upon 
the flanks of these large septa and close to their upper tree 
edge, and it consists of a thin, more or less horizontal, narrow 
lamella of hard structure which occludes, to a small extent, 
the interseptal loculus. The modern example is seen in 
Bathyactis, a deep-sea Fungid, but this is more complete, for 
the lamelle of opposed septa join over the interseptal 
loculi, especially near the axis of the coral. Some septa are 
very delicate and long, and this is a truly Fungid character 
and is exemplified in the modern genus Fungia. The union 
of many septa with others, so as to form a converging series 
ending in one septum at the axis, is well seen in Podoseris. 
On the flanks of the larger septa are close, small, sharp, 
spinulose granules, and as all the septa are swollen tolerably 
regularly, so as to present a series of transverse or curved or 
oblique projections into the interseptal spaces, the general 
appearance is very irregular. 
A transverse section of a specimen of Podoseris elongata 
(Pl. V. fig. 14) taken just below the surface of the calice 
shows structures similar to those of weathered calices. 
Synapticule stretch across interseptal spaces and fuse with 
the septa, and this union is especially well seen in the inner 
third of the section. Beyond that area, and where the inter- 
septal spaces are often wider, the projections from the alter- 
nating nodules of opposed septa do not all terminate in synap- 
ticule, for many end in recurved blunt points, the ends being 
directed towards the circumference of the coral. ‘These points 
and the curvatures of their processes, together with the alter- 
nating and interdigitating of the nodules of the septa, give a 
very characteristic appearance to the section. There is no 
doubt that some of the points terminate in stout laminz which 
reach the opposed face of the neighbouring septum, and 
are thus synapticule, whilst others end in very delicate 
arched processes which touch the opposed septum. These 
delicate processes are dissepimental tor the most part, but 
some of them cannot be distinguished in structure or direc- 
tion from very thin synapticule. It must be remembered 
that long and thin synapticule are exemplified in the modern | 
Bathyactis symmetrica, Moseley (Report on ‘ Challenger’ 
Deep-sea Corals, 1881, p. 186, pl: xi. fig. 2). They are the 
simplest forms of the structures. An advance upon this par- 
ticular elongation is seen in the synapticule of Pachyseris 
speciosa, Dana, and Meandroseris Botte, L. Rouss, and in 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. iv. 3 
