1893.] A. Alcock — Neivly-recorded Corals from the Indian Seas. 143 



In, these papers there is notice of historical evidence of tlie recent 

 elevation of the land in this vicinity and along with it of much recent 

 coral. 



The rocks of this region appear from Mr. Mallet's observations 

 to consist (1) of petroliferous shales and sandstones with nodules and 

 strangulated beds of impure limestone and with shallow seams of 

 lignite and coal, and (2) of minutely crystalline grey limestone, — all 

 the strata being very irregular and being generally steeply inclined : as 

 regards age the conclusion appears to be that they are Eocene Tertiary 

 (rTummulitic) though the possibility is noted that some may be Cre- 

 taceous. 



Polycyathus, Duncan. 



12. Polycyathus andamanensis, n. sp. PI. V, figs. 6. 6a. 



The colony is large enough to cover a Gonus shell, 70 mm. in length, 

 with a thin spongy crust. The corallites are small, very short, cylin- 

 drical, and are placed close together. 



The costas are distinct from the basal encrustment upwards, are 

 alternately salient, and are usually covered with a white, vitreous 

 epitheca. 



The calices are open, shallow, and either circular or slightly ellip- 

 tical. The septa, which are in four nearly complete cycles, are slightly 

 and irregularly exsert : they are nearly equal in size and are coarsely 

 granular. 



The pali, which are in the form of strong denticulations, are dis- 

 tinct before all the septa. 



The small deep-seated columella consists of a few small close 

 papilla3. 



The height of the corallites ranges from 2 to 3 mm., and the dia- 

 meter of their calice from 3 to 7 mm. 



The encrusting base and the epitheca are of a porcelain white, as 

 are the tips of the septa ; the calice wall, the septa, pali and columella 

 being of a purple-black colour. 



Dredged in the Andaman Sea by Professor Wood-Mason. 



FAMILY OCULINID^E. 



Lophohelia, Edw. & Haime. 

 11. Lophohelia, sp. 



Several dead branches of a species so eroded as not to be exactly 

 determinable wex'e dredged by the " Investigator " off the Konkan Coast 

 in 446 fathoms. 



I mention it as being the first observed occurrence of this family 

 in Indian waters. 

 J. li. 19 



