122 PEOP. p. M. DiJisrcAisr on the stetjcttjee' akd 



Eromentel founded the genus Gyatho'phyTlia *. Zittel, on the faith 

 of the Erench zoophy tologist, gives an incorrect diagnosis of Antillia ; 

 but Pourtales and Briiggemann found recent species, and recognized 

 the generic attributes. 



In the essay " On the Madreporaria of the Inferior Oolite," Mr. 

 Tomes brings forward the genus Cyathophyllia again, although he 

 states, "But before the creation of Cyathophyllia, Prof. Duncan had 

 defined, under the name of Antillia, a genus which only differed 

 from Montlivaltia in having a large columella." It is to be observed 

 that the word "only " was not used by me in defining the genus, as 

 the existence of a large essential columella is a very definite and 

 important character. In the description of Cyaihopliyllia oolitica, 

 Tomes, it is stated that the septa unite before reaching the 

 columella, and this is proposed by Mr. Tomes to be a generic 

 attribute of Oyathojohyllia. But M. de Promentel does not give 

 that character, and it does not exist in any Antillia or true 

 CyathopJiyllia, according to their describers. There is there- 

 fore no reason for the non-adoption of the generic term Antillia. 

 On turning to the plate xviii. fig. 4, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. 

 vol. xxxviii. 1882, it will be noticed by those palaeontologists who 

 have seen species of Antillia that the facies is not that of the genus. 

 JSTo section is given of the form, and there is so little to lead the 

 student to a satisfactory generic definition of it, that any one who 

 had studied the simple Fungida would place the form in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Thecoseris, E. de From., the uniting and numerous septa 

 being strong characters amongst the group. One must demur 

 therefore to the admission of this comparatively unexamined form 

 into the genus Antillia (which has precedence of CyathopJiyllia). 



In revising the genera of Madreporaria it was found absolutely 

 necessary to thoroughly reconsider all the simple forms very care- 

 fully and without regard to authority. It will be found (p. 60) 

 that Antillia, nobis, is placed as a subgenus of Circojohyllia, Ed. and 

 Haime, and that its synonyms are CyathopJiyllia, E. de From., 

 Smilophyllia, E. de From., SyzygopJiyllia, Reuss, and Homophyllia, 

 Briigg. 



In the essay on the Madreporaria of the Inferior Oolite and in some 

 of Mr. Tomes's other communications mention is made of a presumed 

 discovery of M. Milaschewitsch, and it is utilized in some criticisms 

 of the work of Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime and myself. 



At page 409, the following notice of this matter is given by Mr. 

 Tomes : — " According to that zoophytologist [Milaschewitsch], the 

 corallum, under certain conditions, can almost suddenly contract 

 itself, and afterwards more or less quickly expand again and 

 continue its existence in a new form. This M. Milaschewitsch 

 distinguishes by the name of ' Yerjiingungsprocess,' which may be 

 translated " a process of rejuvenescence." 



AU this will seem very strange to the biologist who has noted the 



* M. de Fromentel mistakes my definition of Antillia (Pal. Fran9. Terr. Oret. 

 tom. viii. livr. 24, p. 293), and gives the genus a lamellar columella. In no 

 species is this generic character to be found. 



