ON THE BKITISH FOSSIL COKALS. 117 



Gallican enougli) he alters generic and specific names, employing sesqui- 

 pedalian Greek, and even absorbing the original authors (' Pateontogra- 

 phica,' H. von Meyer, 1866). 



Thus he confuses Stromatopora concentrica, Goldfuss, Avith the Madre- 

 poraria, and calls it Lioplacocyathus concentricus. Fortunately Ludwig gives 

 a plate of it (tab. Ixxii. fig. 1), and thus proves the total absence of all 

 structures which differentiate the Madreporaria. After thus dignifying a 

 rhizopod, we may be prepared for any thing. 



The same author figures a form which is clearly that of Heliolites porosa, 

 and calls it by the extraordinary name of Astroplucocyatlms solidus, Ldwg. 

 It appears that this naturalist studied this eminently cellular type from a 

 cast, hence the term solidus. Again, in tab. Ixxi. fig. 2, Liidwig delineates a 

 good specimen of Cyatlwphyllum hexagonum, Goldfuss, 1826, and with sur- 

 passing coolness names it Astroplilceothylacus vulyaris, Ldwg. He then con- 

 founds a species oi Lithostrotion and Smithia Ifennali, E, & H., in one genus, 

 Astrophloeocyclus, Ldwg. 



The student of the Silurian corals will be surprised perhaps to find that, 

 according to Ludwig, Hah/sites catenularia, Ed. & H., the Catenipora esclia- 

 roides of Lonsdale, is transformed into PiycJiophJcvohpas catenidaria, Ludwig, 

 doubtless on the principle that having found such a very distinguished generic 

 title, the compiler of it has the right to eclipse the discoverers of the form. 

 Chatetes, which some of us consider to belong to the Alcyonarian group, as 

 it has DO septa, Ludwig decorates with the title " LiopTdoeocyathus." 



In his sixty-ninth plate, fig. 5, there is a very good representation of a 

 coral ordinarily known as Accrvidana Troscheli, Ed. & H. This form was 

 inaccurately described by Goldfuss, who called it CyathopjhyUum ananas. Now 

 the authorship is settled by this Alexander, who cuts the knot by claimiug 

 the species as his own, under the title of AstrocJiarfodiscus ananas, Ludwig ! 



Then Pleurodictyum prohUmaticum, Goldfuss, is altered into Tceniocharto- 

 cychis planus, Ldwg. 



To render matters easier to the student, Ludwig associates Acervidarla 

 liLvurians and Cyathophylhan helianfhoides in one genus, Astroblascodiscus, 

 and of course places his name after the species. Then CyathophyUum ccespi- 

 tosum becomes, under the same lexicographic hands, Astrocalanocyathiis 

 co'spitosiis, Ludwig I In another place CyatliophyJlum helianthoides, Gold- 

 fuss, just mentioned under the term Astrohlascodiscus, appears as Astro- 

 discus. Lonsdale's CystipTiylhim cylindriciim is turned into Liocyathus ca- 

 tinifer, Ldwg. 



This author, moreover, appears to hold a brief against the belief in the 

 quadrate arrangement of the septa in the Rugosa, and, in a manner which is 

 excessively arbitrary and artificial, terms such and such septa primaries, so 

 as to reduce the cycles to sixes. In spite of the evidence of great industry 

 given by Ludwig, I cannot accept his classification, nor do I find his hypo- 

 thetical septal readings consistent with facts. Nevertheless, Ludwig has 

 contributed to our knowledge of Permian corals, and has discovered some 

 species of genera hitherto supposed to characterize the Carboniferous forma- 

 tion in tlie Upper Devonian of German}'. 



The nature of this Ueport must therefore be very different to those already 

 presented to the Association. Those reports relating to the Corals of the 

 Mesozoic strata were essentiallj' founded upon observed facts, and upon data 

 which had been more or less before the geological world for years; the 

 generalizations embodied in them were established i;pon very satisfactory- 

 details. But in the present instance there is much uncertainty ; there are 



