230 Gvoloyical Society. 



w hoi hor species or varieties. L. affinis is unduubtedly a link 

 between L. auatifera and L. hilli\ liilt in the circumstances I 

 have not [jroposed to reduce />. hilli to the rank of a variety, 

 pictViring to leave tlie discussion of its status till the genus 

 is next revised as a whole. 



2. In the material at Mr. Jennings's disposal were speci- 

 mens of Conchodervm virgatum and 0. nuritnm from the 

 hull of the ' Terra Nova.' In the collection placed in my 

 hands neither of these species was represented from that 

 source. C. auritiun, which was taken u|)on whales in New 

 Zealand waters by the 'Terra Nova/ is also reported by 

 Mr. Jennings from whales in the same neighbourhood. 



P1U)CKK1)1N(;S OF LEAllNED SOCIETIES. 



(iKOI.OGICAI. SOCIKTV. 



November «th, I'JK).— Dr. Alfred llarker, IMt.S., rrcsideiit, 

 in the Chair. 



Tlie following corainunication was read: — 



^ An Una rotiformis, gen. et sp. nov., Philh'psosfrcpa hennahi 

 (Lonsdale), and the Genus Orionaslra'a.'' Bv Stanley Smith, 

 B.A., D.Sc., F.G.S. 



The prunary object of the present communication is a descrip- 

 tion of a new and interesting coral genus of colonial habit, Aulina, 

 obtained from the highest limestone that can be associated with 

 the Lower Carboniferous — the Fell Top Limestone of North- 

 mnberland and its equivalent horizon in Teesdale, the Botany 

 Beds. 



Since this form has been confounded with another Carboniferous 

 species, well known under the name of ' PhiUlpsaairaia radiata 

 (S. Woodward),' it has been found advisable, in fact necessary, 

 to extend the original scope of the paper so as to include a 

 revision of the genus Phillij)sastrcEa and a description of 'Ph. 

 radiata ' and its allies, which I have grouped together under a 

 new generic name, Orionastrcea. Several type-specimens, including 

 that of Pkillipmstrcea hennahi (the genotype of Phillipsastrcea)., 

 are described and figured. 



The new genus from the Fell Top Limestone is a very distinctive 

 form, on accomit of the remarkable annular wall developed within 

 the theca, and may prove of considerable value as a zonal 

 index. 



