950 iiu. J. s. GAEuiNER ON cuB.vLS [Dec. 14, 



verrucsB, owing to the crown of spines round them, are very distinct 

 and appear rather deep. 



This species is closely allied to P. lylicata of Dana by its septa 

 and columella, but it is at once distinguished by its mode of 

 growth, numerous verrucae, dense corallum, and large spines. 



18. PociLLOPORA RiTtioSA, n. sp. (Plate LVII. fig. 2.) 



Corallum of rather short, very thick, arborescent branches, 

 which tend at their summits to be somewhat lobed and incrassate, 

 about 12 nims. thick by 25-40 mms. broad, with apices sparingly 

 covered w ith low and small verrucse with very angular, thin-walled 

 cells between. The sides of the branches are sparingly covered 

 by large verrucae, \ihich are always separated by spaces equal to 

 their diameter from one another; they are generally about 

 5-6 mms. long by 2-3 mms. in diameter at their bases, are some- 

 what pointed, and stand out almost at right angles to the stems. 

 The surface of the corallum is covered with low blunt spines, 

 which form striations between the calices, which are generally 

 shallow, from -B-'O ram. in diameter and round. The ccenenchyma 

 is little developed between e\en the lowest calices. The septa are 

 very indistinct. The columella is slender, and in the lower calices 

 of the colony very prominent. The colony, when first obtained, 

 had a most brilliant dark green colour. 



Funafuti ; 7 fathoms. 



The specimen on which this species is founded is a colony 

 11 cms. high, arising from an incrusting base. It consists of one 

 large stem .3 cms. in diameter, which has divided dichotomously 

 above. Its nearest allies are P. granclis and P. elegans, but it is 

 separated from these by its distinct columella and the arrangement 

 of its verrucae. 



19. PociLLOPORA GRANDis, Dana. 



Pocillopora gnindis, Dana, Zoophytes, p. 534, pi. 51. figs. 2-2 c. 



PocUlopora elongafa, Dana, Zoophytes, p. 531, pi. 50. figs. 4-46. 



Pocillopord elegans, Dana, Zoophytes, p. 530, pi. 51. figs. 1-1 a. 



PocUlopora eydiu.vi, Milne-Edwards & Haime, Corall. iii. 

 p. 306, pi. F 4. tigs. 1 a-c. 



I have referred 13 specimens to this species, the description of 

 which is somewhat vague. The colony is formed of large folia- 

 ceous branches, which generally are very compressed, often being 

 6-8 cms. wide by about 1 cm. thick at their apices ; they are often, 

 too, considerably ridged on the sides and lobed. The branches are 

 completely covered over the sides and summits by generally 

 considerably appressed verrucae, about 3 mms. high by 2 mms. in 

 diameter, usually about half their diameter distant from one 

 another ; on the sides of the branches a few cms. below the 

 summits they are often larger and globose, and at the base of the 

 colony verv small or completely obliterated. The calices of the 

 verrucae are round, about 1 mm. in diameter; on the summits of 

 the branches, and in places between the verrucae, they are about 



