128 REPORT 1871. 



Keyserling considered the genus to belong to the Alcyonaria amongst the 

 Actiuozoa ; but MM. Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime, considering the great 

 analogj- between Chcetetes aud Favosites, and particularly with. Beaumontia, 

 " ou la presence de cloisons n'est pas contestable"*, determined its position 

 to be amongst the true Tabulata. 



The same authors now recognize the necessity of separating Chcetetes from 

 Monticulipora, and assert that the members of the last-named genus increase 

 by gemmation. 



The genus Dania differs from Chcetetes in having the tabulae on regular 

 planes which traverse the whole coraHum. This peculiarity is hardly of 

 generic value. 



Stellijjora (Hall) is not generically different from Monticulipora, and the 

 truth of this assertion can be estimated by comparing the diagnosis of the 

 genera given by MM. Mibie-Edwards and Jules Haime f. 



The differentiation of Delcayia (Ed. & H.) J and of Lahechia is also unsatis- 

 factory, aud their more or less mamraillated ccBnenchyma ranges them together 

 \ by the side of Stellipora as subgenera of Monticulipora. 



Now Jiiles Haime, when investigating the Oolitic Polyzoa, classified forms 

 without septa and with tabulae, hke Chcetetes or Monticulipora, as Polyzoa, 

 and the beautiful Stelliporce were especially included. 



Now the question arises, are there any recent Polyzoa whose soft parts 

 have been examined that have tabulaj ? From our knowledge of the recent 

 Polyzoa, it is unsafe to answer this in the affirmative. There is a freshwater 

 species which is said to have tabulas, but the assertion requires confirmation. 

 The classification, then, of these forms amongst the Polyzoa must be deferred, 

 and I propose to decide against it now. 



Beaumontia, the genus noticed above, is distinguished by MM. Milne- 

 Edwards and Jules Haime § as follows : — " This genus is distinguished from 

 all other Chaetetiuffi by the formation of its tabuliie, which are irregular or 

 vesicular, and it thus resembles Michelenia, belonging to Favositinae." The 

 presence of septa belonging to three cycles is asserted by the same authors, 

 and this fact must remove the genus quite out of the neighbourhood of septa- 

 less forms. 



The genera of the Cheetetiuce were formerly Chcetetes, Monticulipora, Dania, 

 Stellip)ora, Dekayia, Beaumontia, and Lahechia. It has been shown that 

 Stellipora, Delcayia, and Lahechia are subgenera of Monticulipora, that Dania 

 cannot be separated from Chcetetes, and that Beaumontia has no correct affinity 

 with the others, and that it belongs to another family. 



The genera should stand thus : — 



Chcetetes. Subgenus Dania, 

 Monticulipora. Subgenus Stellipora. 



,, Delcayia. 



„ Lahechia, 



But the subgeneric names should be dropped. 



This result is interesting because it eliminates Beaumontia and makes a 

 compact sei'ies, the affinities of which are not Polyzoan, but which may be 

 Alcyonarian or Hydrozoan. 



The long tab\ilar or basaltiform corallites of Chcetetes and its allied forms, 



« Op. cit. pp. 271. f Op. cit. vol. iii. pp. 272, 281. 



X Ibid. p. 283. § Op. cit. vol. iii. p. 282. 



