Fig. 22. — Part of a vertical sectioii of the same coral, 

 showing in the centre a small upright branch, and 

 on the left of the figure part of another branch ; the 

 intermediate areas are occupied by the laminate 

 coenenchyma. Enlarged l-^ diameters, slide 619a. 



REPOET ON MATERIALS FROM THE BORINGS AT FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 327 



in places with minute pores. The immersed corallites and the layers of the coenenchyma contrast greatly 



with the short radial corallites of the branches, 



and more particularly as the latter are now 



thickened or solidly infilled with sclerenchyma, 



whilst the coenenchyma with its corallites 



usually remain thin. 



Perfect specimens of this form have not 

 been obtained, but judging from some of the 

 cores of it, which are 158 millims. in length 

 by 103 millims. in width, it appears to have 

 grown in large masses. It is very common in 

 the Main Boring to a depth of 110 feet, and it 

 also occurs in the condition of casts at intervals 

 to the depth of 972 feet. It is likewise 

 present throughout the Second Boring (D) 

 and in the Lagoon Boring. Specimens have 

 been submitted to Mr. J. Stanley Gardiner, 

 who states that they differ from any of the 



recent species collected by him at Fimafuti, and they appear to be closely allied to M. pacifica, Brook. 

 Mr. Gardiner considers that if. conteda cannot have grown at a depth of more than about 20 fathoms 

 below the surface, and probably it lived at less than half this depth. 



The genus Madrepora appears also to have been the best represented of the 

 recent corals at Funafuti. Mr. J. S. Gardiner* has determined thirteen species 

 (including one new) from the lagoon shoals and outer reef, and Mr. WhiteleggeI" 

 eight species' and one variety (two of which and the variety are new). With one 

 exception, Whitelegge's species differ from those of Mr. Gardiner. 



Gen'US Turbinauia, Oken, 



This genus makes its appearance in the Main Boring at the depth of 652 feet ; 

 below this to nearly the base of the boring it occurs sporadically, separated by 

 long intervals, The casts are too imperfect for specific determination. Both 

 J. S. Gardiner^ and C. Hedley§ call attention to the marked absence of the genus 

 in the recent fauna of Funafuti, but in a small collection of corals made by Professor 

 SoLLAS from this locality, there were fragments of cup-shaped examples of Turbinaria, 

 which indicate that it still exists on the atoll. 



Genus Astr^opora, Blainv. 



• In the Main Boring this genus occurs at a depth of 88 feet, and next below this 

 at 650 feet. It is occasionally met with from this level down to 1030 feet. It is 



* 'Zool. Soc. Proc.,' 1898, pp. 257-262. 



t Mem. III., Austral. Mus., Sydney, 1898, pp. 356-360. 



I Loc. cit., p. 262. 

 § Loc. cit., p. 350. 



