Mr. H. J. Carter on Stromatopora dartingtoniensis. 343 



of the astrorhiza in the more consolidated fossil, I do not 

 see how we can come to any other conclusion than that, 

 although the tabulation is not so evident or striking as that of 

 Favosites &c, it nevertheless, under certain conditions, makes 

 its appearance here and there in the large branches of the 

 astrorhiza, — which is quite sufficient for our considering Stro- 

 matopora to have been a " tabulate coral." 



As announced in the last number of the ' Annals,' I, on the 

 26th July last, under the kind guidance of my friend, Mr. 

 Champernowne, F.G.S., again visited " Pit-Park Quarry" 

 (which is in the Devonian Limestone near his residence at 

 Dartington Hall, Totnes), in quest of the species of Stroma- 

 topora to which I have before alluded as possessing the 

 largest development of the astrorhiza (" stellate venation ") 

 that has been published. This in due time we came upon ; 

 and splitting off some portions from the block, a fracture 

 passed horizontally through the plane of lamination so as to 

 divide a set of astrorhizge also horizontally, and almost 

 equally, so that they were visible on each surface of the 

 fracture. It was observed, too, that they were more marked 

 than usual, owing to a partial decomposition and removal of 

 their contents, which rendered the branches more or less 

 empty and of a light brown colour ; but having no time then 

 to examine them more particularly, the specimens were put 

 aside until I came home (PI. XVIII. fig. 2, a a a). 



Returning, then, to the examination of this specimen at the 

 beginning of August, I observed that not only had the con- 

 tents of the branches of the astrorhiza been partially removed 

 by decomposition, but in the greater number of the larger 

 branches thin diaphragms of calcspar had been left, which, 

 although a little more irregular in disposition and direction, 

 presented the same appearance as the tabula? in Millepora 

 alcicomis, and about the same thickness, viz. l-1800th inch 

 (PL XVIII. fig. 3). Impressed, therefore, with this fact, yet 

 not observing the plates in the calcspar filling the branches 

 of the astrorhiza? in other parts where it had not been removed 

 by decomposition, I sought for it in more consolidated speci- 

 mens of other Stromatopora >, wherein I felt convinced that I had 

 seen something of the kind. So I repaired to Mr. Vicary's large 

 collection of polished slices at Exeter, to which I have before 

 alluded ; and showing him a fragment of the specimen from 

 "Pit-Park Quarry" which presented the tabulated appearance 

 above mentioned, he immediately and of his own accord 

 picked out three different species in which it was unquestion- 

 ably illustrated, observing that " when one knows what to 

 look for, it is not difficult to find it." This comparatively 



