86 VERRILL, SYNOPSIS OF 



margin the papillse form longitudinal rows, or narrow 

 crests. Septa twelve ; six larger, alternating with very 

 small ones. 



( ?) Ceylon. Rev. G. A. Apthorp. 



This fine species has been so often confounded with sev- 

 eral others that are similar in form or mode of growth, 

 that it seems useful to add the above particulars from a 

 specimen that appears to agree with the typical form 

 described by Pallas, and also by Edwards and Haime. 

 The Montipora grandifolia of Dana, of which the origi- 

 nal specimen is before me, is very closely allied to this 

 and may be only a variety of it. The character of the 

 upper surface is identical in nearly all respects, but the 

 lower surface has more numerous cells, which extend to 

 the margin, or nearly so, and are somewhat more promi- 

 nent and a little larger, with the septa more developed, 

 the primary ones a little thickened, alternating with six 

 narrower secondaries. The texture appears firmer and 

 the surface less rough and scarcely papillose, even around 

 the cells. 



The species described as Porities foliosa by Ehrenberg, 

 and afterwards adopted by Dana, appears from the de- 

 scription to be quite distinct. 



Montipora lichenoides, Verrill, sp. nov. 



Corallum encrusting below, explanate above, rising into 

 irregular, thin, more or less contorted, plicate or crispate 

 fronds. Near the margin the fronds are about .05 of an 

 inch thick, the exterior for about an inch from the margin 

 is covered with irregular vertical ridges or plicati(ms, with 

 small scattered papilliform processes, which become more 

 numerous and larger below, where they frequently unite 

 into larger compound papillae, between which are smaller 

 rounded ones thickly scattered over the surface. The 

 cells are very small, about .01 of an inch, and are irregu- 

 larly scattered among the smiiler papihcB, on the bases 

 of the larger ones, or elevated amon«: the summits of the 

 compound ones; towards the margin they are remotely 

 scattered over the surface and wholly immersed. Septa 



