CORALS FROM THE MOUNTAIN LIMESTONE. 177 



A specimen of this Amplexus was found by Professor Henslow in the Isle of Man, and 

 placed by that geologist in the collection of the Geological Society. The same species is 

 found at Vise, in Belgium, and near Boulogne, in France. 



The Amplexus tortuostjs of Phillips,' which is a fossil of the Devonian formation, is 

 mentioned by Professor M'Coy as existing also in the carboniferous deposits of Ireland. 2 

 We have not had an opportunity of examining these corals. 



3. Genus Lophophyllum, (p. lxvi.) 



LOPHOPHTLLUM (?) ERTJCA. 



Cyathopsis (?) ertjca, M'Coy, Ann. Nat. Hist., 2d Ser., vol. vii, p. 167, 1851; Brit. 



Palseoz. Foss., p. 90, 1851. 



" Corallum very small, sub-cylindrical, after a diameter of three lines, diameter three 

 lines and a half; surface marked with coarse, longitudinal, obtuse lamellar striae, three in 

 the space of one line ; radiating lamellae strong, slightly irregular, connected by several 

 curved, thick, transverse, vesicular plates in the horizontal section, one of the lamellae 

 stronger than the rest, and extending through the centre, where it is either thickened or 

 confounded with a slight mesial boss of one of the transverse septa, vertical section, middle 

 third traversed by thick, sub-regular, transverse diaphragms, convex upwardly, three inter- 

 diaphragmatal spaces in one line ; outer third on each side formed of one or two rows of 

 irregular large cells, formed by the junction and occasional duplicature of the deflected 

 edges of the diaphragms. 



" Very common in the black carboniferous limestone and shale of Beith, Ayrshire." 

 {M'Coy, op. cit.) 



It appears evident, by this description, that the Coral here mentioned must belong to 

 the genus Lophophyllum, and is, probably, specifically different from the Belgian fossils, 

 which were previously known as appertaining to the same division, for Professor M'Coy 

 says that by its external character it bears the most exact resemblance to Cyathaxonia cornu, 

 whereas Lophophyllum Koninch? and L. Dumonti* are much more conical and less curved. 

 Professor M'Coy refers this fossil to M. D'Orbigny's genus Cyathopsis, which is defined by 

 that geologist as being formed of corals resembling Amplexus, but with a septal fossula, 



1 Palseoz. Fossils, p. 8, tab. iii, fig. 8. 



2 Syn. Carb. Foss. of Ireland, p. 185. 



3 Milne Edwards and Jules Haime, Polyp, des Terr. Palaeoz., p. 349, tab. iii, fig. 4. 



4 Ibid., p. 350, tab. iii, fig. 3. 



