322 



iv. 



NOTES ON THE FOSSIL CORALS COLLECTED BY MR. A. P. LOW AT BEECHEY 



ISLAND, SOUTHAMPTON ISLAND AND CAPE CHIDLEY, IN 1904. 

 (By Lawrence M. Lambe, F.G.8., F.R.8.C.) 



BEECHEY ISLAND, LANCASTER SOUND. 



Acervularia austini (Salter). 1852. Sutherland's voyage*, appendix, 

 p. ccxxx, Strephodes ? Austini, pi. 6, figs. 6, 6a. 



The type specimens of this species were obtained at Cornwallis, 

 Beechey and Griffiths islands. A number of corals in Mr. Low's col- 

 lection, from Beechey island, appear to belong to this species, judging 

 from Salter's description and figures and those of Houghton in the 

 Journal of the Koyal Dublin Society, vol. 1, 1856-57 (1858); p. 246, 

 pi. x., figs. 2, 2a. 



In Mr. Low's specimens the inner structure is fairly well shown. 

 The larger septa pass to the centre of the corallites where they are 

 slightly twisted, and together with the arched, rather vesicular tabulae, 

 form a definite central area that appears at the bottom of the cups 

 as a more or less distinct boss. The septa (averaging from thirty to 

 forty in number) bear arched carinae on their sides. The corallites 

 are slightly larger than those of A. gracilis** (Billings), from Grand 

 Manitoulin island, Lake Huron (Niagara group), otherwise the speci- 

 mens could with equal propriety be referred to the Lake Huron spe- 

 cies. The size of the corallites varies in A. austini from about 3 to 8 

 mm. in diameter, in Mr. Low's specimens up to about 10 mm. across, 

 but in A. gracilis the corallites seldom reach a diameter of 7 mm. If 

 by a direct comparison it is found that Mr. Low's specimens are with- 

 out doubt properly referable to A. austini, and if it can be shown that 

 the size of the corallites cannot be relied on as a specific character, 

 then A. gracilis may have to be regarded as identical with A. austini. 



* Journal of a voyage in Baffin's bay and Barrow straits in the years 

 1850-1851 by Peter C. Sutherland, M.D., M.R.C.S.E., 1852. 



** Strombodes gracilis. 1865 Geological Survey of Canada, Palaeozoic 

 Fossils , vol. 1, p. 113, fig. 94, by E. Billings ; and Acervularia gracilis, 1900, 

 Contributions to Canadian Palaeontology, vol. IV, pt. II, pi. XIV, figs. 2, 2a, 

 by Lawrence M. Lambe. 



