AND GLYPHASTR^A, DUNCAN (1887). 221 



Ocidina. The increase by gemmation and not by fission is described, 

 and the fact that the central axial structure is merely produced by 

 the union of the septa. And even in placing the form in the genus 

 Columnaria, Goldfuss, Lonsdale showed a true insight into its rela- 

 tions; for there is no doubt that Columnaria, though Palaeozoic, be- 

 longs to the Family Astraeidaj. As Lonsdale's work has, by some 

 later authors, been unjustifiably neglected in favour of that of 

 Edwards and Haime, 1 venture to point out that in this case it is 

 far superior to that of the French authors. 



Li 1857 *, Edwards and Haime placed Lonsdale's species as a 

 synonym of Astrcea bella, Conrad, in the doubtful genus Astrancjia. 

 These authorities could have paid but little attention to its description, 

 or they would not have relegated it to a genus whose characters are, 

 as remarked by Prof. Duncan f, so very different. I have endea- 

 voured to ascertain if there is any ground for the assertion that 

 Columnaria sexradiata, Lonsdale, is really a synonym of Astrcea bella, 

 Conrad J. The description given by Conrad of his species is exceed- 

 ingly meagre, but, so far as it goes, it indicates a coral quite distinct 

 from Lonsdale's C.sexradiata, v^hiohis not incrusting, does not possess 

 unequal cells, and its septa are not denticulate, as is stated to be the 

 case in A. bella. The late Prof. Meek § likewise regarded A. ? bella, 

 Conrad, as quite distinct from C. sexradiata, Lonsdale ; and Prof. 

 Yerrill ||, another competent authority, has placed A. bella, Conrad, 

 in the subgenus Coenangia, thus quite distinct generically from 

 Septastraa {C.) sexradiata. Through the kindness of Dr. C. A. 

 White, of Washington, and Prof. A. Heilprin, of Philadelphia, I have 

 been enabled to study examples of A. bella, Conrad, and I can my- 

 self testify that they are markedly different from Lonsdale's species. 

 It is therefore evident that Edwards and Haime were in error, alike 

 in placing Lonsdale's species in the genus Asti^angia, and in regarding 

 it as a synonym of A. bella, Conrad. 



Prof. Meek ^ appears to have been the first to recognize that Co- 

 lumnaria (?) sexradiata, Lonsdale, belonged to the genus Septastrcea ; 

 but he inserts a query, probably because this latter genus had been 

 wrongly stated to be fissiparous, whereas Lonsdale's species un- 

 doubtedly increases by gemmation. 



Prof. Duncan** asserts thdX Septastroia (or GlypJiastrcea) sexra- 

 diata'\-\ shows a small columella, that there is union between some 

 of the tertiary septa and the secondaries, which does not occur in the 

 calices of S. Forbesi, and that, " moreover, the open condition of the 



* Hist. nat. des Corall. vol. ii. (1857), p. 615. t Loc. cit. p. 30. 



t Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil. vol. viii (1842), pt. 2, p. 189. The description 

 is as follows : — ^'Astrcea bella. Incrusting, thick, cells unequal, pentagonal, rays 

 numerous, minutely and beautifully denticulate, frequently alternate in length. 

 Occurs near Newborn, N.C." No more is stated, and there is no figure. 



§ ' Check-list of the Invertebrate JFossils of North America,' 1864, p. 1. 



II Trans. Connecticut Acad. Arts & Sciences, vol. i. pt. 2, 1867-71, p. 530. 



^ Loc. cit. p. 1. 



** Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xliii. (1887), p. 20. 



ft Lonsdale makes no mention of a columella, and his figure merely shows 

 that central union of the septa which he states is present. 



