14 JONES ON NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



Although usually arborescent in growth, it is nevertheless 

 frequently seen coating the reef in large patches like the astroid 

 €orals. The thickness of the coat is about the same as that of 

 8iderastrm radians. The polyp mass when m situ is of a 

 brownish yellow colour. It grows well within eighteen inches 

 of the surface at low water. 



Fam. ^llLLEPORIDxE. 



r 



Gen. ]Millepora. 



Millepora alcicornis, Eclw. 



" ramosa. Id, 

 Madre])ora palmata, Lam. 



" muricata, var., Esper. 



" a/ces, Dana. 



Palmipora tuberculata, Duch. 



This species is so various in its growth, that naturalists who 

 have never had an opportunity of seeing it in situ, are prone to 

 separate the different varieties, and class them as so many 

 species. This is hardly to be wondered at, when we consider 

 the very great dissimilarity which exists between the several 

 varieties, as regards form of growth. It may be procured 

 branched like the oculinas ; flattened like a board ; or coating 

 the reef rocks ; in fact, there is hardly a shape that it will not 

 take according to the necessities of its situation. It is of raj^id 

 growth, and will in a short time coat over shells and firmly fix 

 them in the coral mass ; and it is curious to observe how these 

 shells have managed to secure the right of opening one of their 

 valves, which although perfectly covered with the coral, has, 

 nevertheless, escaped having its opening closed by the calcareous 

 secretion, and lives in this prison as well as if moored to the 

 shore rock. It is known to the fishermen under the several 

 names of " hen coral," when feathery in shape ; " finger coral," 

 when digitated ; and " fan coral Avhen flattened and palmate. 



