MADREPOEABIAN FAMILX — THE FUNGID^. 141 



" The LopJioserince, in which the wall or common plateau is 

 neither echinulate nor perforate" *. 



Memarhs on the Diagnosis of tJie Family.— ~^ot\xmg can be 

 more explicit than the family characters of the Fungidse as 

 established by MM. Milne-Edwards and Julea Haime ; yet it 

 is perfectly evident that they have been neglected and misinter- 

 preted during most of the discussions which have taken place re- 

 garding the systematic position of some of the genera of Astrseidae 

 and Fungidae. It is manifest that in no work on the Inverte- 

 brata is there a clear and definite explanation given of what 

 synapticula really are, in shape and method of development. The 

 general belief is that they are large ordinary granules which meet, 

 and tlius unite together the septal laminae on either side of an 

 interseptal loculus, thus forming cross-bar structure. Usually 

 it is credited that these large granules are hypertrophied orna- 

 mental granules. In fact there is no accurate description, and 

 only one delineation of typical synapticula, in any modern work 

 with which I am acquainted, and which treats of the general 

 anatomy of corals. 



A delineation is to be found in the last work of my lamented 

 friend M. de Pourtales, but unfortunately no description accom- 

 panies it. It is in the ' Report on the Florida Eeefs ' by Louis 

 Agassiz, accompanied by illustrations of Florida Corals, 1880, 

 plate XV. figs. 14 & 16. The vertical synapticula are admirably 

 shown in fig. 14; and the well-known appearance from above, 

 a very misleading one, is shown in figs 15 and 17. 



In spite of the descriptions and delineation, it is now asserted, 

 mainly, however, by the students of Oolitic fossil corals, that the 

 importance and classificatory value of the synapticula is not 

 thought to be what it was. 



Nature of tJie SclerencJiyma of the Species of the Genus Fungia, 

 subfamily Funginae. — The shape of the Fungias and their general 

 aspect are so well known, that it is only necessary to remark that 

 they are not attached, have a slightly or greatly arched base, and 

 are convex above. They may be circular or elliptical ; and there 

 is an axial fossa which is elongate in the forms with an elliptical 

 outline. The septa are very numerous, usually large and small in 

 succession, and the free edge is variously dentated, spined, or 

 nearly plain. 



When one of these corals is looked at from above, in its natural 

 * Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime, op. cit. vol. iii. p. 4. 

 LINN. JOUBN. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. XVII. 11 



