440 R. G. Garruthers — Remarkable Carboniferous Goral. 



proposed Plerophyllum for a somewhat similar group of Australian 

 corals, and in his diagnosis (Joe. cit., p. 195) states that "there are 

 usually five prominently developed septa (in some species only four). 

 ... In the species with five prominent septa, the cardinal septum 

 is small and is hounded on either side by a large septum, and the 

 remaining three large septa represent the alar and counter septa ". 

 A pronounced stereoplasmic thickening of structures within the 

 body of the coral is noted as one of the generic characters. This 

 latter feature is known to be a most variable quantity in other 

 genera, but the septal arrangement alone is a sufficient distinction 

 from Cryptophyllum, in which the main (or cardinal) septum is long, 

 with no prominent septa on either side, and the counter primary 

 is often absent altogether: the orientation, in fact, is reversed. 

 Judging from Dr. Hinde's figures {he. cit., pi. viiirt, figs. \a-f), 

 I am inclined to agree with Mr. Etheridge l that Plerophyllum 

 should rather be classed as a sub- genus of Zaphrentis : it has much 

 in common with such forms as Zaphrentis (Lophophijllum auctt.) 

 eruca (M'Coy). 



The Lower Palaeozoic genera Anisophyllum and Baryphyllum of 

 Milne-Edwards and Haime have only three prominent septa. 



Sections of Caninia cornucopia sometimes have a superficial 

 resemblance to Fig. 4c, PI. XI of this paper, but there is no risk of 

 confusion if attention be paid to the orientation and nomenclature of 

 the septa, which is entirely different in Cryptophyllum, quite apart 

 from the profound distinctions of the primary stages. 



Cryptophyllum htbernicum, sp. nov. 



Diagnosis. — Corallum simple and averaging an inch or less in 

 length : a tortuous habit is common. Strong, smooth epitheca, with 

 frequent growth-lines and constrictions (PI. XI, Fig. 5). Major septa 

 stout, tapering at their inner ends, frequently wavy and irregular in 

 cross-seGtion. The first five septa are all primary : their development 

 shows much individual variation, but they remain longer and more 

 conspicuous than other septa throughout the life-history of the 

 corallum : it is only in the gerontic period, when, as with so many 

 other Carboniferous corals, an amplexoid type of septation is 

 approached, that there is any difficulty in singling out the five 

 primaries from the rest. The sixth primary, the counter septum, does 

 not appear until several metasepta have developed, and may be 

 absent altogether. The metasepta themselves are relatively short. 

 As a rule there are no minor septa : if present, they are two only, 

 one on each side of the counter primary : they are rudimentary, and 

 confined to the final growth-stages. A stereoplasmic thickening of 

 the septa below the calyx is common, but it is not so pronounced as 

 to fill in the body of the coral. The tabulae are few and irregular 

 (PI. XI, Fig. 6). 



-Remarks. — Referring to Plate XI, illustrating this paper, the fact 

 that the serials 2a-2c and Aa-Ad show an earlier appearance of the 



1 E. Etheridge, A Monograph of the Carboniferous and Permo-Carboniferous 

 Invertebrata of New South Wales, pt. 1, Coelenterata, p. 8. Mem. Geol. Surv. 

 New South Wales, Sydney, 1891. 



