MARINE MISCELLANEA. 229 
anticipated, many centuries ago, in a single minute, anemone-like polyp, scarcely 
one-eighth of an inch across. It is this Madreporic genus that commonly forms the 
bases of the outer or deep-water edge of growing coral reefs, and is especially con- 
stituted by its hardness and density to oppose a successful resistance to the impact 
of the breakers. As indicated in our coloured illustration, the tint of the living 
Corallum of this species of Porites, Porites astrwoides, was in this instance of a 
delicate lilac or lavender hue. It is, however, subject to considerable variations, 
and in other localities was observed by the writer to assume diverse shades of light 
ochre, brown, golden yellow, pale lemon, and also a delicate pink. 
The circumstance that the solid Porites masses constitute the basis upon 
which an infinite variety of species of lesser dimensions become established is amply 
demonstrated in both the accompanying coloured plate and many of the photographic 
reef-views reproduced in the writer's previous volume. The coral species most con- 
spicuously represented in the coloured plate now under discussion are referable chiefly to 
the more or less solid Astreeaceae, as typified by such genera as Goniastrea, Symphyllia, 
Celoria, Meandrina and Mussa, with here and there a few projecting branches of 
Madrepore or Stag’s-horn corals. The variety of tints that may be associated with 
such an assemblage of distinct types is almost indefinite, and, in conjunction with the 
marvellous hues of the overlying or surrounding waters in these tropic latitudes, 
produces a picture that must be actually witnessed to be believed in. While it 
has been found possible to do but scant justice to this topic in these pages, the 
present opportunity may be advantageously utilised in indicating to the artistic 
world what an entirely original and practically inexhaustible field for high achieve- 
ments lies fallow and awaiting development at their hands in the shape of the reef 
scenery of the Australian and other coral seas. To the marine artist more especially 
it opens up a vista of hitherto undreamt-of possibilities. 
A group of the Madreporaria or Stony Corals, which received a brief share of 
attention among the many others in the author’s work on “The Great Barrier Reef,” 
was the genus Turbinaria. As previously met with on the northern and eastern 
Australian coasts, nothing especially abnormal was placed on record concerning the 
species collected. With relation, however, to the development of this generic group 
recently found by the writer to obtain in Western Australian waters, some more note- 
worthy data may be chronicled. 
The genus Turbinaria will be familiar to many Australian readers by reason 
of the fact that the cup or vase-shaped coralla of several of its varieties, popularly 
