﻿130 MADEEPORAEIA. 



project as small rounded tubercles covered with very fine and inconspicuous points. In the 

 younger portions of the coraUum these rise liighest round the calicles, and where these latter 

 are in rows the tubercles surrounding them also form dense rows, with concave and often 

 smooth valleys between. In the older portions of the stock the whole surface is smooth, and 

 consists of a level floor composed of the tops of the rounded tubercles. The calicles are marked 

 by rings of tubercles slightly larger and just raised above the general level. The tubercles over 

 the whole surface are singularly uniform in size and shape, about • 25 mm., looking like closely 

 packed grains. 



There are six fragments, wliich piece together to make a large, nearly flat and rectangular 

 frond some 14 cm. deep by 18 broad. One side has grown under, the other is broken away. 

 The complete form is therefore unknown. The character of the tubercles and the regular 

 shape and freedom of the trabeculae are quite unique. M. pcUiformis also has uniform 

 tubercles Hke closely packed seeds (cf. also M. cactus), but seen under a pocket lens these are 

 round open bushes, whereas in this type they are solid round knobs appearing slightly hairy ; 

 they are, however, more bushy near the growing edge. The freedom of the trabeculte so that 

 they easQy tumble out, is a remarkable feature in this specimen ; the interstitial floors between 

 the tubercles shown in the figure (PI. XXXIV. fig. 1) only appear where the coral is beginning 

 to die down. 



a. (In six fragments), Torres Strait. Prof. A. C. Haddon. (Type.) 



For a description of two allied specimens in the Cambridge University Museum, see 

 the Appendix. 



107. Montipora aequi-tuberculata. 



Description. — Corallum thin, explanate, with edges translucent, slightly lobate, curved up 

 and wavy, 2 • 5 mm. thick, 6 mm. 4 cm. further in. Epitheca not within 4 cm. of growing edge. 



Calicles scattered, average 1 • 5 mm. apart, small, distinct, hidden by the outwardly sloping 

 tubercles, excepting when looked at from the edge or from above. Single calicles or small 

 groups are raised up by the tubercles so as to form small excrescences on the surface. 

 Aperture irregular, • 5 mm. across ; six, not very symmetrical, primaries, thin, reaching nearly 

 to the half radius circle. A few very rudimentary secondaries. On the under surface the 

 calicles are crowded, of all sizes from large conspicuous rings 1 mm. in diameter, to minute, 

 irregular breaks in the ccenenchyma ; septa weakly developed. 



The ccenenchyma shows in section a well developed laminate streaming layer, very open 

 and friable at the growing edge. The lower thickening layer is a compact reticulum yield- 

 ing the solid rings round the calicles. The upper thickening layer is of very irregular 

 development, the trabecule being long and regularly palisade-like in the thicker portions. 

 The tubercles are very uniform in diameter and general appearance, as erect cylindrical 

 flames. On the level portions these are short, but lengthen greatly round the bases or on 

 the slopes of the small excrescences above mentioned. Between the tubercles one can see 

 down into a stout porous reticulum. 



