﻿26 MADREPOKAEIA.. 



The next specimen (6) is a fragment of a still younger and' thinner stock (PI. I. fig. 4). 

 It is the original specimen named M. pmvsa by Bassett-Smith, but it seems tO' me best to 

 consider it as a younger stock of the coral just described. It agrees well mth the description ; 

 it shows, however, only very slight traces of the concentric wrinkling which is pronounced in' 

 the older specimen. In- this younger specimen, theue are traces of an epithecaj which) however, 

 remains far behind' the growing edge. 



a. Macclesfield Bank, Cliina Seas, 32 fathoms* Cbll. Bassett-Smitht 1 /-j^y^gg n 



&.. Macclesfield^ Bank, China Seas,, 35 fathoms. RM.S. ' Rambler.' ]^ ^^ 



A third small fragmentary specimen: wJiich is so covered and distorted' by Balanids as 

 hardly to be recognisable.. The- general character of the corallum in the' narrow strips 

 between the^ infesting organisms suggests its affinity with the above. 



?'c.. Macclesfield Bank, China; Seas, 28 fathoms. Colli Bassett-Smith.. [93, 9. 1. 90.] 



8; Montipora. reticulata. (Bl. I. fig. 6; BL XXXI. fig. 8;) 



BcsmpUon.: — GoraUum,explb,nate, freely expanding, witii slightly wavysurface. XTniform 

 tliick-ness, 2 to 3 mm.. The growing edge is alive for 5 to 6 cm;.; centrally to this zone the 

 coral dies away,, and is- covered by a^ white iilmi The epitheca is developed' to about 1 cm. 

 from the growing edge: Along tlae edge- of the epitheca, the ccenenchyma tends to hang down 

 in drops- and. rootletSj which are subsequently grown over by the epitheca. 



Thecalicles-are minute, 0*75 mm., fairly conspicuous; opening in the older-parts of the 

 stock on slight eminences, irregularly scattered from- 1 to 3 mm. apart, and with apertures 

 nowhere-well dfefined. The- septa are very irregular, mere- thin threads- of tiie surrounding 

 reticulum projecting into the deep fossa-; parts of two cycles, seldom complete.- Galicles 

 appear on tlie under sm-face, where it is not covered by epitheca. 



The ccenenchyma consists chiefly of the outwardly streaming layer, which is-lamihate ; its 

 elements bend downwards to form.a thin,. dense layer resting;on the epitheca, while the upper 

 thickening layer is very slightly developed, as a graceful thread-like reticulumj with the free 

 tluread-like ends bent in all, directions ; round the caUcles- they form the septal rods; In the 

 dead central portions of the stock,, the white film- begins to form, as so many smalli discs- round 

 these free ends. 



There is only one specimen, the growth of which appears- to be as follows. The thin 

 explanate coral creeps steadily outwards and, like certain lichens, dies away posteriorly, and, 

 while in the main free from the substratum, it drops rootlike knobs for support at intervals. 

 These knobs always take place along the outer edge of the epitheca. The singlfe type 

 specimen shows three distinct rows of such knobs now covered up with epitheca.. Most of 

 them are but slight drops, but in the oldest row in the specimen, ona-hangs^ down nearly 2.*5 

 cm. in lenjrth. 



