1899.] ASTB^ID COEA.LS FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC. 761 



of which in the largest calices (1-3 cm.) more than 20 often 

 reach the cohimella. The latter is formed by a few coarse 

 trabecLilsB from the septal edges and is never very large. The 

 \\alls in my specimen are novvliere more than 8-5 cm. in thickness, 

 and in longitudinal sections are seen to remain of the same 

 thickness thronghout. 



Hotuma ; extreme edge of reef with the three preceding 

 species. 



6. PlilONASTB.EA TENELLA Daua. 



Astrceci tenella, Dana, Zooph. p. 231, pi. xiii. fig. 1 (1848). 

 A small colony rather doiibtfiilly referred to this species and 

 even to this genus. 

 Eotuma ; outer reef. 



Genus Cyphastk.ia. 



Cyphastrcea, Milne-Edwards & Haime. Comp. rend, de lAcad. 

 des Sc. xxvii. p. 494 (1848), and Cor. ii. p. 484 (1857). 



There does not seem to be any real difference between this 

 genus and Solenastraa, but, as I have been unable to make any 

 comparison of a large number of specimens, I have retaiued the 

 generic name. There are only two specimens of the genus in 

 the collection, both of which were found lying unattached in the 

 boat-channel at Eotuma. They were, when found, both completely 

 covered with polyps, and were the only corals obtained in the 

 living condition from such a position. 



1. Cyphastr^ia chalcidicum Forsk. 



Madrepora chalcidicum, Torskal, Descr. an. in it. orient, p. 136 



Cvplmstrcea chalcidicum, Klunzinger, Die Korall. des Ti. Meeres, 

 iii. p. 53, pi. v. lig. 8, pi. x. fig. 11 (1879). 



One colony certainly identical with the specimens referred by 

 Klunzinger to the above species. The specimen is a free, oval- 

 shaped mass, 16 cm. by 10 cm. by about 7 cm. thick, completely 

 covered with calices.- 



Rotuma ; boat-channel. 



2. Cyphaste^a savignyi Milne-Edwards & Haime. (Plate 

 XLIX. fig. 1.) 



Oyphastrcea savignyi, Milne-Edwards & Haime, Ann. des Sc. 

 Nat. ser. 3, xii. p. 115 (1850), and Cor. ii. p. 485 (1857). 



A single specimen agreeing closely with all the characters given 

 by the above authors. The colony is a round, free, flat mass — 

 about 10 cm. across by 2-5 cm. thick — -with eleven large blunt 

 lobes at the edge, the whole completely covered with calices except 

 for a small area on each side. The calices project commonly for 

 about 1 mm. above the general surface, but a few are free for 2 

 or even 3 mm. ; in diameter they are generally about 2 mm., 



