278 MR. W. S. KENT ON NEW MADREPORES. [Apr. 4, 



Height of corallum one or two inches ; diameter of the calices 



1 H 



inch. 



Hab. Cape of Good Hope. B.M. 



I had premised that this species might possibly prove to be 

 identical with Allopora bella (Dana) ; but Count de Pourtales, who is 

 familiar with the type examples of that form, assured me, during 

 his recent visit to England, of its distinctness. In the character of 

 its basal ccenenchyma it closely resembles the genus Amphikelia. 



Verrill has proposed to make this Allopora bella the type of a new 

 genus, bestowing upon it the name of Cyclopora (" Synopsis of Corals 

 &c. of North Pacific Exploring Expedition," Proc. Essex Institute, 

 July 1866). He considers it to be intermediate between the genera 

 Stylaster and Distichopora in the structure of its septal system, 

 which assumes that "pit-like" character dominant in Distichopora, 

 and common to both Stylaster and Allopora. The remaining cha- 

 racters agreeing entirely with those of Stylaster, it cannot be naturally 

 separated from that genus. 



Stylaster asper, n. sp. (Plate XXIV. figs. 2, 2 a.) 



Corallum arborescent, flabellate ; surface of the ccenenchyma 

 finely echinate throughout, the minor ramuscules often springing 

 from the preceding ones in a regular pinnate order. Calices very 

 minute, increasing by alternate distal gemmation. Columella im- 

 mersed, stylate, echinate. Septa about twelve in number. Ampulla? 

 conspicuous, hemispherical, sometimes echinate, solitary or in clusters, 

 scattered principally over the ccenenchyma of the secondary 

 branches. 



Height of corallum several inches ; diameter of the calices ^ 3 

 inch, of the ampullae ^ inch. Colour pale pink. 



Hub. Unrecorded." r 1 B.M. 



This species most nearly approaches Stylaster sanguineus, but is 

 distinguished from it by its echinate ccenenchyma, and by the minute 

 size of its calices. In this last character it most closely approaches 

 S. gracilis. 



Stylaster eximius, nobis. 



S. elegans, Michelotti, Suppl. au Mem. sur les Corall. des Antilles, 

 Mem. della Reale Acad. d. Scienze di Torino, torn, xxiii. p. 162, 

 pi. ix. fig. 4, 1866. 



Elegans having been already employed as a specific name for a 

 representative of the same genus by A. E. Verrill, in 1863 (Bulletin 

 Mus. Comp. Zool.), eximius is here proposed in substitution to 

 distinguish the form more recently described by Michelotti. 



Allopora, Ehr. 



This genus is characterized by Milne-Edwards, in his * Histoire 

 des Coralliaires,' as differing from Stylaster in its irregular mode of 

 gemmation, and in the complete absence of "ampullae," or vesicular 

 inflations of the ccenenchyma ; at the same time he expresses doubts 



