222 Christmas Island. 



Group PERFORATA. 

 Family PORITID^. 



Porites, aff. lutea, Edwards »& Haime. 



Forites conglomerata, var. Jaime, Quoy & Gaimard, 1833. Voy. Astrolabe, 



Zoopli., vol. iv, p. 249. 

 ,, ,, Dana, 1848. Zooph. : Expl. Exp. Wilkes, vol. viii, 



p. 561, pi. Iv, fig. 3. 

 „ lutea, Edwards & Haime, 1860. Hist. nat. Cor., vol. iii, p. 180. 



The genus Pontes is now undergoing revision by Mr. Bernard, 

 and until his work is issued, identifications of recent species of the 

 genus must be regarded as pro'V'isional. The Christmas Island 

 collection includes two fossil Porites, with twelve well-marked 

 septa, veiy thin and indistinct walls, inconspicuous columella, and 

 the pali not well developed. The diameter of the corallites is 

 about r5mm. This association of characters renders it probable 

 that the species is a close ally of P. lutea, which was founded 

 \)j Edwards & Haime, practically on Dana's P. conglomerata. 

 Mr. Stanley Gardner suggests that P. lutea should be regarded 

 as a variety of P. arenosa. 



Distrihution. — On Christmas Island. 

 Eossil : Sea cliff. Rocky Point. 



No. 161. Top of the sea cliif, north coast. 



]S"o. 165. Lower part of the sea cliff. 



jSTo. 997. Southern slope of the island; alt. 350 feet. 



Fig. 5. 



Figure. — Pig. 5. Part of a transverse section of specimen from 

 Rocky Point, X 9 dia. 



