REPORT ON MATERIALS FROM THE BORINGS AT FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 249 



layers of Montipora (1) Foiaininifeia as in the piecediiig, with the addition of riuropsilina and of I'oljjfreiiia 

 planuiji. Alcyonarian spicules. Echinid spines. Lithothamnmi, Haliiueda. 



(116a, 117a, 118a). Total length 246 millinis. Greyish-white, speckled, hard, partly compact, partly 

 porous, with irregular hollows. Several casts of Madrqmra, surrounded by white layers of Polytreina 

 planum and Lithoihamnion. Larger part of the cores of foraminifera and minute detrital fragments, very 

 little recognisable with a lens beyond casts of Carpenteria. Rock very crystalline. 



{119a). Length 75 millims. Greyish, speckled, hard, dense. With the exception of one or two small 

 undeterminable casts of corals, the core consists of foraminifera and fragmental detritus, cemented by 

 crystalline dolomite. 



(120a) [585]. Length 162 millims. Greyish, speckled white, hard, mostly compact. A few casts of 

 a small Madrepora, now filled up with dolomite. Casts of gastropods and lamellibranchs. By far the 

 larger part of the core of foraminifera, with worn fragments of organisms, now dolomitised beyond 

 recognition. Foraminifera also much altered. OrbitoUfes, Calcarina, Gypsina vesicularis, var. discus, and 

 Gypsina, sp., Polytrema miniaceum, P. planum, Amplmtegina and Heterostegina, can be distinguished in 

 microscopic sections. Halimeda-]oints, not uncommon. Echinid plates. Branching Lithothamnion. 



(121a, 122a). Total length 64 millims. Rock in character like the preceding. Cast of Astraean coral, 

 cf. Astrcea dentiailafa, Ellis and Solander, and of a smaller form as well. 



Depth from Surface, 790-798 feet; Distance Bored, 8 feet; Total Length of Core 

 Obtained, 7 feet 5 inches ; Numbers of Cores, 123a-144a. 



Cores cylindrical, of greyish-white, mottled with undulating bands of white, and 



also speckled, dolomitic limestone. Generally hard, like the preceding, but in some 



cores the whitish portions, comprising principally Litliothamnion and some of the 



fragmental materials, have undergone a change, and are now soft and powdery. For 



the most part the rock is compact and dense, but in places where the foraminifera 



and detrital materials have been only partially cemented by crystalline dolomite it is 



porous. The rock is not infrequently cavernous, due to the partial removal of corals. 



Corals as casts are generally present ; some cores are mostly composed of them, while 



in others only one or two small forms are to be found. They are in the same 



condition as noticed previously ; the structure is either dissolved or replaced by 



crystalline dolomite, whilst the interstices are now either crystalline, or infilled with 



hardened sediment. The corals include Focillopora, Seriatopora, OrbiceUa, and 



Madrepora contecta, largely composing one of the cores (134a), and Porites. The 



foraminifera are less prominent ; the same forms are present as in the cores 



immediately preceding. Alcyonarian spicules are of common occurrence, and one 



piece of Lobop)hytum is present. Fairly large casts of gastropods. The most notable 



feature of the cores is the great development of Lithothaninion, both as encrusting 



corals and as nodular branches. The encrusting foraminifer, Polytrein\a planum, is 



also present, but very subordinate to the calcareous alga. Halimeda also occurs. 



The organic contents of these cores call to mind the cores of reef rock in the upper 



portion of the boring. 



Details. 



(123a). Length 93 millims. Grey, speckled, hard and compact, except where coral occurs. Nearly 



2 K 



