REPORT ON MATERIALS FROM THE BORINGS AT FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 203 



Madrepora, Porites occasionally occurs. Tlie corals are in places overgrown by 

 Lithothamnion and Polytrema jyJanum ; P. miniaceum, retaining its pink tint, 

 likewise occurs. The coral lumps taken together are but little over 1 foot in length ; 

 the remaining 9 feet are only represented by small angular fragments of coral, broken 

 up and triturated by the drill, commingled with foraminifera, spicules of alcyonaria, 

 branching glassy fragments of polyzoa, echinid spines, small gastropods, coprolitic 

 pellets, joints of Halimeda, and corallines. The organisms are all in good 

 preservation. 



Details. 



(85-87) [624]. Total length 114 millims. Four nodular lumps of coral rock consisting of the common 

 MarlrejMm conteda. The structure is preserved, the interstices are largely filled with sclerenchyma, in 

 some parts the coral is tunnelled l)y boring organisms, and the tunnels are now packed with hard 

 granular sediment containing minute pieces of coral and stellate ascidian spicules. The coral is over- 

 grown by alternate layers of finely laminate Lithothamnion and Pol i/frema planum. Orbitolites, Carpenteria, 

 and A mphivtegina. 



(88) [625]. Length 62 millims. A nodular piece of Madrepora conteda, the structure well shown in 

 microscopic section ; it is apparently unaltered ; the interstices of the coenenchyma are empty, or lined 

 with prismatic crystals of " conchite." 



(89) [626]. Length 40 millims. Irregular nodule of hard whitish rock, consisting of a piece of perforate 

 coral, possibly Porites, thickly encrusted by alternate laminae of Lithothamnion and Polytrema 2)lanum. The 

 laminae of the Lithothamnion do not fit evenly over the substratum, but leave interspaces, iilled in with 

 fine sediment, largely consisting of stellate ascidian spicules, probably belonging to Leptodinum. Gypsina, 

 Ampliistegina Lessonii, and Heterostegina depressa. 



(90). At 75 feet. Fine-grained fragmental materials, consisting largely of angular fragments of coral 

 rock, and of fresh looking pieces of coral with the interstices empty. The following foraminifera have 

 been determined by Mr. Chapman : — Orbitolites complanata, rare ; 0. marginalis, frequent ; Carpenteria 

 halanifminis, rare ; Polytrema miniaceum, frequent ; var. alha, one specimen ; Amphistegina Lessonii and 

 Heterostegina depressa, both species very abundant. Detached 4-rayed spicules of calcisponges ; 

 alcyonarian spicules, abundant ; small fragments of Sfylaster, sp. ; entire and fragmentary spines, detached 

 test-plates and teeth of echinids ; entomostraca, rare ; claws of small crustaceans ; Spirorhis ; branching 

 fragments of polyzoa ; minute lamellibranch shells ; shells and opercula of small gastropods, determined 

 by Mr. Edcjak A. Smith to belong to the following genera : — Ca'cum, Leptothyris (only opercula), Trifmis, 

 Marginella, Rissoa, Phasianella, Columhella and Atlanta. The smallest of these shells is 0'75 millim. in 

 length by 0*25 millim. in breadth, and the largest 2'5 millims. by 1*25 millims. Coprolitic pellets are 

 very common. This detrital material is very similar in character to that from Core 74 above. 



(91, 92) [629]. Length 124 millims. Two irregular nodules of Madrepora conteda, the structure M^ell 

 preserved, the coral interstices nearly filled up solid with sclerenchyma. Surfaces overgrown with thin 

 laminate Lithothamnion. Cctrpenteria present. Borings in the Lithothamnion filled up with fine hardened 

 sediment containing stellate spicules of Leptodinum. 



(93). Length 53 millims. by 87 millims. in breadth. An irregular nodule of Madrepwra conteda, the 

 coenenchymal interstices largely vacant. 



Depth from Surface, S 0-90 feet ; Distance Bored, 10 feet; Total Length of Core 

 Obtained, 1 foot 4 inches; Numbers of Cores, 94-100. 



The solid cores obtained are cylindrical or nodular lumps of whitish-grey and 

 cream-coloured limestone, with some nodules of dirty-green Hellopora rock. The 



2 D 2 



