1898.] CORAIS OP THE SOTTTS pacipio. 265 



3. AsTE^OPOBA PUNOTiFEEA Bernard (11). 



I have referred a specimen to this species, but I am doubtful 

 whether the species is really distinct from A. listeri. 

 Eotuma ; boat-channel. 



4. AsTE^opoRA OTALis Bernard (12). 



There is one specimen of this species, which is considerably 

 larger than the type but exhibits quite as regular a mode of growth 

 and differs in no respect. 



Funafuti; lagoon. 



IV. G-enus Moiitipoea. 



Montijjora Quoy & Graimard, Voy. ' Astrolabe,' Zooph. p. 247 

 (1833). 



Montipora Bernard, Brit. Mus. Cat. Madreporaria, vol. iii. (1897), 

 p. 13. 



Of the nine species represented, all with one exception were 

 obtained from the comparatively still water of the lagoon or boat- 

 channel. 



The living tissues form a layer a few mm. thick on the surface 

 of the colonies ; underneath this the corallum is generally much 

 corroded, and bored by Chsetopoda, Gephyrea, and Mollusca, espe- 

 cially Litliodomus. The massive forms, after attaining a certain 

 thickness, are often killed at the base by sand, &c. ; the dead part 

 begins to be corroded, but a fresh growing edge forms, and a con- 

 stant struggle seems to be going on between the edges and the 

 sand beneath. Often the stem becomes completely worn through, 

 so that the mass falls over, and is at once killed by the sand, in its 

 turn perhaps forming a fresh foundation for the larvae of the same 

 or some other genus of coral. It is interesting to note that I 

 never found any colony with the upper part hollowed out or dead, 

 or in any way exposed at even the lowest tides. 



I am indebted to H. M. Bernard, Esq., M.A., of the British 

 Museum, for naming the species. Of these, four are new and 

 three have been already described in an appendix to the British 

 Museum Catalogue of the genus. Mr. Bernard has also very 

 kindly described the new species, M. columnaris, here given. 



A. Foveolate. 



1. Montipoea columnaeis Bernard, n. sp. (Plate XXIII. 



fig- 5.) 



Corallum grows in erect, irregular spikelets, thickened by re- 

 peated incrustations. Tips pointed or flattened. Each new growth 

 forms a living cap on the stock, 6-7 cm. in length. 



The calicles are numerous, almost uniformly scattered, about 

 1 mm. apart and '6 mm. in diameter, with many smaller appearing 

 on the thick interstitial ridges ; conspicuous, deep, with open fossa 

 and feeble septal apparatus (from 6-12) ; with solid columella-like 

 body, deep down in the fossa. 



