﻿P E E r A C E. 



In this third volume of the Catalogue of Madreporarian Corals Mr. Bernard has 

 included the two closely allied genera Montipora and Anacropora. 



The three volumes now finished form together a very complete monograph 

 of the Madreporidae, which is one of the chief reef-building families of Stony 

 Corals. 



The value of this work from a scientific point of view may be gathered 

 from the fact that there has been no comprehensive systematic work on the 

 Stony Corals since the classical treatises of Milne-Edwards and Haime published 

 more than forty years ago ; while in the time which has elapsed since then 

 exploring expeditions have been adding new and beautiful types to the 

 Collections in the difi"erent European Museums, which have consequently far 

 outrun the system of these authors. 



The increased wealth of our own Collections may be cited in illustration 

 of this. In 1878, when Briiggemann prepared his MS. Catalogue, there were 

 only 41 specimens of Montipores, divisible into 16 species. There are now 

 more than 400 specimens, divisible into 116 species, about 80 of which are 

 new. The total number of species has risen from 32, as left by Milne-Edwards 

 and Haime, to 142. In using the word species, I would call attention to 

 Mr. Bernard's introductory remarks (p. 17) as to the applicability of the term 



