﻿TUBERCULATE MONTIPORiE. 141 



In the National Collection there is only one explanate tuberculate Montipore showing 

 traces of keel formation from the Eed Sea. It has been labelled M. foliosa by Brtiggemann. 

 It is a flat, somewhat wrinkled leaf, forming slight keels all round the edges. The tubercles 

 are crowded, minute, and somewhat uniform in shape and appearance, and give the whole 

 surface a curious indefinite appearance, but there is nothing suggesting a spider's web. But 

 of course it is impossible to lay much stress on such points. The main facts connecting this 

 specimen with M. rus are these — both appear to be tubercular carinate Montipores, and both 

 are from the Eed Sea. 



A further description of the Museum specimen here provisionally placed under this 

 heading, will facilitate either the refutation or the confirmation of this new interpretation of 

 Forskal's type. 



Descrijotion. — Corallum a wrinkled uneven leaf 11 cm. deep, the under surface free of 

 epitheca except in minute patches, but thickly covered with irregular ridges, or keels, or 

 papillae, on the tips or sides of which calicles may open. Growing edge 2 to 2 • 5 mm. thick. 



The calicles are conspicuous owing to the close ring of tubercles round each, obscuring 

 the septal arrangement, which is deep down ; only where the tips of the tubercles are uniting 

 to form a fresh surface are the septa seen at the surface, six in number, stout, irregular. The 

 calicles are, as a rule, crowded concentrically but more distant radially. On the tmder surface 

 the calicles are smaller, with hardly any septal systems beyond a few irregular points from the 

 stout surface granules of the ccEnenchyma. 



The coenenchyma consists in section of an open laminate reticulum, the clean cut edges 

 of the laminae coming to the surface at the growing edge as an elegant line pattern. Upon this 

 rests a very well developed trabecular layer, short, thin, definite trabeculse crowded together 

 rising up into the tubercles, and with hardly any very apparent junctions binding them 

 together. The tubercles are uniform in size and height. Eound the growing edge the laminate 

 reticulum rises up into keels, from which later tubercles arise, making the keels denticulate. 

 The keels in this specimen are soon lost among the crowded tubercles of the surface, which 

 fill up all interstices so that the real interstitial surface is no more visible. 



While classing this specimen here on account of its suggested identity with the keel- 

 forming M. monasteriata, it must be admitted that its true place would be nearer M. grarmlata 

 on account of the uniformity and grain-like aspect of the tubercles. The keel formation 

 round the edge is due entirely to the laminate streaming layer, cf. the descriptions of 

 M. foliosa, p. 157. 



. a. Eed Sea. [Eegister No. 40. 5. 7. 6.] 



119. Montipora crassi-tuberculata. (PI. XXV. fig. 1 ; PI. XXXIV. fig. 7.) 



Description. — Corallum explanate as a massive heavy slab, much crumpled. The method 

 of attachment unknown. Hardly 2 mm. thick at the free growing edge, but thickens very 

 rapidly to 1 or 1*5 cm. The upper surface is remarkable because of the diversity of its 



