MADEEPOEAEIAH" TAMILT — THE rUNGIDJE. 149 



or simply mounted septum will permit, it becomes evident that the 

 dark lines thus observed in the neighbourhood of the opening 

 resemble those along the septa, and which end at the apex of a 

 dentation, and others which assume a radiating appearance in the 

 larger septa. These lines are the spaces between the fibrous 

 elements of the hard parts in those particular spots filled with 

 connective tissue or its remains. This need not be mistaken for 

 tubes oiAcJily a penetrans, which are, however, seen here and there 

 in every section of the coral . 



The breadth of the fibres, which behave more like arragonite 

 than calcite under the polarizer, is about -jiRnT iiich. 



It would appear that the fibres of the carbonate of lime are 

 deposited, like those of other corals, in a connective tissue, and 

 that layer after layer is formed with more or less obliquity here 

 and there, but not everywhere. The septa, so exceedingly delicate 

 and porose when young, enlarge by deposit on their faces, and 

 the perforations gradually become closed up. And it is evident 

 that the large synapticula which are in contact with these thin 

 septa originate irrespectively of them, and are not at first attached 

 to them except by the medium of soft tissues. Deposit of fibrous 

 structure occurs subsequently, and then union takes place. 



The examination of this species shows that the great length 

 and breadth of the synapticula and their forming boundaries of 

 canals renders them only of secondary importance to the septa ; 

 and as the basal wall is composed of fused synapticula, there is 

 no value in the observation that these structures are of little 

 classificatory value. 



Part II. The Construction of the Corallum of Fungia echinata, 

 Ehr. sp. 



ruNGiA ECHITSTATA, Ehrcnherg sp. — Haliglossa echinata, EJir. — 

 Fungia Elirenbergi, Dana. — Herpetolithus Ehrenbergi, LeucTcart. 



That this remarkably elongate and echinulate form of Fungia 

 should have three generic names given to it, is explanatory of the 

 difficulty of classifying the species on account of its departing 

 somewhat from the generic idea of Fungia. 



The form differs from the rest of the Fimgice mainly in its 

 length in relation to breadth. In this the species resembles 

 Serpolitha {Herpetolitlnis); but it is not a sufficient reason for 

 separating it from the genus Fungia, especially as the species of 

 Fungia already noticed iji this commuuiQation is somewhat elon- 



