CLASSIPicATORr POSITION OF SOME MADREPORARIA. 121 



which it reaUy bears but a faint resemblance." On p. 434, is the 

 heading " Zoantharia Perforata,*' and " Oroseris " follows (p. 440). 



It has been shown, in the " Revision of the Genera," pp. 162, 163, 

 that Oroser/s should become a subgenus of Comoseris, d'Orb., and that 

 it cannot be a perforate coral as Mr. Tomes has stated. In order 

 to save space, reference is therefore made to that work. But it is 

 necessary to remark that although the great distinction between the 

 two groups is the difference in the length of the coUines, Milne- 

 Edwards and Jules Haime recognized the occasional existence of 

 " calicos epars," amongst the others which are in series, in 1860, 

 Hist. Nat. des Corall. vol. iii. p. 79 (under 0. apennina), just as 

 Mr. Tomes did in 1882. In the descriptions of the species of Oroseris 

 Mr. Tomes has correctly shown that the epitheca may be as strong 

 and as wrinkled as in Comoseris ; but although he finds synapticulse 

 in one species (p. 442), he places it among the Perforata *. 



Mr. Tomes's descriptions show that Milne-Edwards and Jules 

 Haime were correct in staling that the two genera are closely allied, 

 and not that they are very different. 



Genus Microsolena, Lmx. 



This genus was placed amongst the Poritidce, a group of perforate 

 Madreporaria, by Edwards and Haime. Species were examined by 

 Milaschewitsch and were placed by him with Thamnastrcea among 

 the Perforata. The author of the work now under consideration 

 agrees. But good specimens of Microsolena have clearly, in addition 

 to their beautifully perforate septa, a host of delicate synapticulse in 

 their interseptal spaces, after the manner of the Eungidne. Hence 

 it has been necessary to place the genus in the section Eungida, 

 and in a family distinct from that of Thamnastrcea^ and associated 

 with such genera as Thamnarcea, Etall., Bijylarcea, Milas.. and the 

 recent genus Mceandroseris. 



Genus Circophtllia, Ed. & H. (subgenus Antillia, Dune). 



The so-called genus CyaiJiophyllia^ E. de Erom., was not placed 

 in "The lievision of the Genera of Madreporaria;" for with the 

 approbation of Pourtales and Reuss it had given way to the prior 

 genus Antillia, nobis. Of the identity of the forms included in the 

 so-caUed and the acknowledged genera there can be no doubt, and 

 it is true that Antillia was published and illustrated by me in the 

 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xx. 1864, p. 28, long before M. de 



* In a communication " On the Madreporaria from the Great Oolite," 

 Quart. Journ. G-eol. Soc. vol. xli., May 1885, p. 185, Mr. E. Tomes replied 

 to statements which had appeared in the " Revision of the Genera," 1884, 

 He endeavours to show that there is a wall in the coUines of Comoseris, and 

 as it is known that there is not one in Oroseris, he properly considers that 

 this is a generic distinction. He finds in worn specimens of Comoseris that 

 " a very distinct and continuous line is sometimes observable, simidating a 

 truewaU"(p. 186). 



Every student who has seen a worn Comoseris is aware of this false wall, and 

 it is not a true one. Hence the distinction falls to the ground. The arrange- 

 ment of the calices in the two so-called genera is not of sufficient importance 

 to give Oroseris more than a subgeneric position. 



