﻿170 MADEEPOKAKIA. 



a purely filamentous reticulum in Ilontipora, is also a primitive feature retained hj Anacropora 

 (see p. 13). The living polyps are unfortunately quite unknown, A comparison of them 

 with those of Montipora is certainly a desideratum, 



V. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



So far as the distribution of this genus is yet known, it would appear to belong to the 

 Indo-Pacific intertropical * area. It is known as yet to extend as far north as Macclesfield 

 Bank ; it has been taken in the Arafura Sea ; while, from west and east, it has come from 

 Keeling Island and from the Solomon Islands. 



VI. ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE SPECIMENS. 



The remarks made in Vol. II. p. 20 on the classification of a small number of specimens 

 hold good here. There are no long and puzzling series. Each type of growth can be described 

 by itself without fear of reproach for needless multiplication of new species. 



LIST OF SPECIES OF THE GENUS ANACROPORA. 

 (An asterisk implies that the species is not represented in the Collection.) 



1. forbesi. 



2. gracilis. 



3. erecta. 



4. reptans. 



5. solida. 

 *6. spinosa. 



1. Anacropora forbesi. (PL XXXFV. fig. 17.) 



Anacropora forbesi, Ridley, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., xiii. (1884) p. 287, pi. xi. fig. 1. 



Description. — Corallum a low, spreading tuft of slender, cylindrical, knotted stems, bent, 

 curved or twisted and fusing irregularly with one another. The stems differ slightly in 

 thickness, 6 to 7 • 5 mm., but each stem remains fairly uniform throughout its length. Short, 

 bent, horn-Uke branches come off at irregular intervals and angles. The whole tuft appears 

 to creep along the ground, not rising to any great height. 



* Cf. Rep. Voyage Alert, 1884, p. 174. 



