1899.] ASTE.HD COEALS "FROM THE SOUTH PACTFIC. 755 



7. Oebicella EOTiBiAiirA, n. sp. (Plate XLIX. fig. 3.) 



The corallum is an incrusting mass, covered underneath by a 

 thin, dense epitheca. The caHces are crowded, but have nearly 

 always a distinct rim, the costtB never being continuous between. 

 The septa are nearly equally exsert and the costse are subequal in size. 



The septa form three complete cycles, and usually the greater 

 number of septa of the fourth cycle are present. The primaries, 

 as in 0. coronata and 0. curia, have broad (2 mm.), horizontal, 

 upper edges and are provided with rather long paliform lobes, 

 often rising for 2-2-5 mm. above the columella. A few of the 

 secondary septa sometimes simulate the primaries, but usually 

 they do not meet the columella. The tertiaries are always distinct, 

 but the quaternaries are scarcely distinguishable within the calices 

 All the septa are relatively thin (not differing greatly one from 

 another in thickness) with smooth sides, and are often much fenes- 

 trated ; their edges are covered with long, thin, pointed spines, which 

 commonly increase considerably in length towards the base of the 

 calice. The columella is very small, appearing in many calices to 

 be little more than the fusion of the edges of the primary septa. 



The calices are rather crowded and distorted, varying up to 

 9 mm. in diameter by 4-5 mm. in depth. 



Eotuma ; boat-channel (?). One specimen. 



This species is very closely allied to 0. coronata and 0. curia. 

 The calices of the three specimens of these species in my collection 

 scarcely merge into one another in any way, nor did I find any 

 intermediate forms in the British Museum. 0. rotumana differs 

 from 0. curia in its distinct paliform lobes, long, spiny septal 

 teeth, tertiary septa never fused to secondaries, and the latter 

 often simulating the primaries. 0. coronata differs from both in 

 its much coarser and thicker septa, which seldom form more than 

 three complete cycles. 



8. Oebicella klunzingeei, n. sp. 



Leptastrcfa ehretibergana, Klunzinger, Die Korall. des E. Meeres, 

 iii. p. 46, pi. vi. fig. 3 (1879). 



There are two specimens, which undoubtedly belong to the 

 species which has been excellently described and figured by 

 Klunzinger under the name of Le/ptasirtea elirenhergana. This 

 species cannot possibly be the species described by Milne-Edwards 

 and Haime under that name, so that I propose to call it 

 0. Jclunzingeri. As my specimens agree in nearly every respect 

 with Klunzinger's description, thei'e is no need for me to recapi- 

 tulate the specific characters. 



Klunzinger's figure shows considerable variation in the size of 

 the calices. In my specimens on the highest points, nodules on 

 the colony, some of the calices are 8-9 mm. in greatest width, 

 while in some of the valleys they do not average more than 3 mm. 

 In the latter position further the thecae of neighbouring caliceg 

 are completely fused, but the costae are not continuous, 



Funafuti and Eotuma, 



