AND GLYPHASTRiEA, DUNCAN (1887). 201 



Duncan has made the type of his new genus Glyphastrcea^ has been 

 claimed by d'Orbigny, and, I think, rightly, as identical with the 

 type of his own genus Septastrcea ; consequently Glyphastrcea is 

 only a synonym ; 2ud. That some of the characters assigned by 

 Prof. Duncan to Septastrcea Forhesi may be otherwise interpreted ; 

 3rd. That the minute structure of this species exhibits imjwrtant 

 features of considerable interest in connexion with the nature of 

 corals generally, which do not appear to have been hitherto known 

 or noticed. 



Taking first in order the history of the genus Sepiastrmi, it 

 appears that the original diagnosis of it, by d'Orbigny, was pub- 

 lished in 1849 in a small pamphlet, independently issued, bearing 

 the title, ' Note sur les Polypiers Possiles.' 1 have sought in vain 

 for a copy of this pamphlet in the scientific libraries in London, but 

 through the kindness of Dr. P. Pischer, of the Museum d'Histoire 

 Naturelle, Paris, I have ascertained that the text of the description 

 is as follows : — 



" Septastra^a. — C'est un Goniastrcea sans columelle et sans palis, 

 dont les douze cloisons simples viennent se reunir au centre de calices 

 profonds ; muraille compacte. On connait une seule espece de 

 I'etage Palunien. Exemple : ;S^. suhramosa d'Orbigny." 



Dr. Pischer further informs me that there is no description of the 

 proposed type species, S. suhramosa, but that in a manuscript cata- 

 logue the author states that it was obtained from Southampton, 

 Yirginia, U.S.A. 



In the same year (1849) Messrs. Edwards and Haime* accept the 

 genus Septastrcea as valid, and they give the following extended 

 and more precise definition of it : — ■ 



" Polypier de forme massive ou subdendroi'de. Calices polygo- 

 naux, a bords sondes a ceux des calices voisins mais montrant 

 ordinairement une ligne de separation extremement fine. Multi- 

 plication par fissiparite ? t Cloisons bien developpees paraissant 

 constituees par des lames parfaits. Ni columelle ni palis. Traverses 

 bien developpees. Ce genre comprend des especes fossiles des terrains 

 tertiaires, qui paraissent differer des Goniastrees par I'absence de 

 columelle et de palis ; mais il est possible que la multiplication soit 

 submarginale, et que les cloisons soient entieres, ce dont nous 

 n'avons pas pu nous assurer." 



PoUowing the generic definition, MM. Edwards and Haime 

 include the four species, Septastrcea ramosa, Def ranee, sp. ; S. 

 Forhesi, E. & H., n. sp. ; S."^ multilateralis, Mich., sp. ; and -S. ? 

 hirtolamellata, Mich., sp. The first of these, S. ramosa, Defrance, 

 is stated to be identical with d'Orbigny's nominal type, S. suhra- 

 mosa. But a reference to Def ranee's J description at once shows its 



* " Eecherches sur les Polypiers," Ann. des Sciences JSTaturelles, 3^ serie, 

 t. xii. p. 163. 



t In the translation of this passage given in Prof. Duncan's paper, Q, J. G. S. 

 vol. xliii. p. 24, the note of interrogation after flssiparity has been accidentally 

 omitted, and no reference is made to the subsequent remark that it was possible 

 that the mode of increase of the coral was submarginal. 



J Dictionn. des Sciences Naturelles, t. xlii. p. 381 (1826). 



Q.J.G.S. No. 174. P 



