220 Frederick Chapman: 



Genus Michel inia, de Koninck. 



MlCHELINIA PROGENITOR, Sp. nOV. 



Description. — Corallum hemispherical, rather depressed. Coral- 

 lites small, walls thick, having a diameter of 2 to 3mm., pris- 

 matic, chiefly hexagonal in transverse section. Tubes of coral- 

 lites rilled with funnel-shaped tabulae, at times regularly inserted 

 centrally to form a cornute tube. Height of corallum about 

 3.5cm. (nearly one and a-half inches) ; expanse of specimen about 

 6.5cm. (about two and a-half inches). 



Observations. — It is of very great interest to find a typical 

 representative of the genus Michelinia so far down in the palaeo- 

 zoic series. Michelinia is known from the Devonian of Canada, 

 Devonshire and Asia Minor, and more profusely from the Car- 

 boniferous limestone of England and Russia; whilst in the Aus- 

 tralian coral fauna, up to the present two identifications of this 

 genus have been made, viz., Michelinia sp. cf. tenuiseptata, 

 Phillips sp. from the Carbopermian of Co. Buckland, N, S. Wales 

 (probably Upper Marine Series) 21 and another from the Car- 

 boniferous of Lion Creek, Stanwell, near Rockhampton, Queens- 

 land 22 . The calices of the former have a diameter of 7-9mm. 

 and the tabulae consist of much more crowded and irregular 

 vesicular tissue. In the Queensland specimen the corallites have 

 a diameter of 2-4mm. The tabulae are stated to be very numerous 

 and anastomose freely, but do not appear to show the funnel- 

 shaped arrangement of the Victorian form. It is not specifically 

 named. 



The present species, by far the oldest known, is a small celled, 

 neat and thoroughly typical example of the genus. A distinguish- 

 ing feature of the corallite structure is the great depth of the 

 funnel-shaped tabulae. 



Occurrence. — A well preserved specimen in whitish limestone 

 from Cave Hill, Lilydale ; coll. by Mr. R. H. Annear. Silurian 

 (Yeringian). 



21. R. Etheridge (junr.), Mem. Geol. Surv. N.S. Wales. Pal. No. 5. 

 1891, p. 28, pi. IV., fig. 1. See also Ed. and Haime, Mon. Brit. Foss. Corals, 

 1852, pt. 3 (Mon. Pal. Soe.), p. 155, pi. XLIV., figs. 1, la, b. 



22. R. Etheridge (junr.). Bull. Geol. SurV., Queensland, No. 12, 1900, 

 p. 7. 



