TUBULIPORA FLABELLARIS. 447 



T. phalangea of Couch and Johnston must therefore rank 

 as a synonym of the older term. 



There are considerable variations in the form of the 

 zoarium in T. flabellaris. Generally the outline is more 

 or less lobate, though the lobes are never strongly marked ; 

 but in some cases they disappear, and in the adult state 

 the figure is simply orbicular; the lobes are usually five 

 in number. 



In fine, well developed specimens of this species the 

 tubes are very long and flexuous, much crowded, and 

 almost erect ; they are sometimes disjunct for a conside- 

 rable portion of their length ; but more commonly they 

 are connate, and form series of varying size. The centre 

 of the zoarium is usually destitute of cells. 



In an early stage T. flabellaris exhibits a simple bilobed 

 form. In this condition the zoarium is stalked and 

 divided into two rounded lobes, which are bent backwards 

 from the point of division, so as to embrace the stalk, 

 below which they finally coalesce. As growth proceeds 

 other lobes are developed until the normal figure is com- 

 pleted. The stalk, with its attached disk, occupies in 

 the adult the centre of the colony, surrounded and almost 

 entirely concealed by the lobes. 



To this species should probably be referred a remarkable 

 Tubulipora which I have met with in old bivalve shells 

 from Salcombe Bay. It forms large, somewhat circular, 

 lobate masses, about an inch in diameter. The central 

 portion is round, with sometimes as many as ten lobes, 

 which are broad at the base, then gradually narrow for 

 some way, and at the extremity expand into a clavate head. 

 The heads vary in size, and occasionally coalesce; and 

 in some cases the lobes are united throughout the greater 

 part of their length, and we have a somewhat circular 

 crust, with a very irregular and jagged outline. On the 



