THE JOUENAL 



OF 



THE LINNEAN SOCIETY. 



A Eeyision of the Families and Grenera of the Sclerodermic 

 Zoantharia, Ed. & H., or Madreporaria (M. Eugosa ex- 

 cepted). — Chapters I.-YI. By Professor P. Maetin 

 Dtj]S"ca]S", F.E.S., E.G.S., Viee-Pres. Linneau Society. 



[Eead April 3, 1884.] 

 CHAPTEE I. 



Introduction. The necessity for a revision of the gi:eat groups, families, and 

 genera of the Madreporaria, Ed. & H. The changes necessitated by the disco- 

 veries of late years, especially those of H. N. Moseley. The classification of 

 Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime. The proposed alterations. The sections of the 

 Sclerodermic Zoantharia, the Madreporaria Eugosa excepted. The new Families. 

 The section Madreporaria Aporosa. The Families. Family Turbiuolidse, its 

 subfamilies, alliances, and genera. Lists. 



Introduction. — The state of confusiou of the classification of 

 the Sclerodermic Zoantharia, or the Stony Corals (the Madre- 

 poraria of Edwards and Haime), has become very intense during 

 the last few years, and a revision of the great groups, families, 

 and genera is really required. 



No work dealing with the classification of this important Sub- 

 order, as a whole, has appeared since the 'Histoire Naturelle des 

 Coralliaires ' by Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime, in 1860. That 

 great work, following that of Dana on the Zoophytes of the 

 Wilkes Exploring Expedition (1846), formed an epoch in the 

 zoology of the Corals, It was a work of vast labour, and its 



LINN. JOURN. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. XVIII. 1 



