626 E. ETHERIDOE ON THE PALAEONTOLOGY OF THE 



does not appear to be any union by cross bars or dissepiments between 

 these branches, and in consequence the polyzoarium is non-fenestrate. 

 In the latter character we have an essential difference between 

 Ramipora and Glauconome. Again, in the latter the polyzoarium 

 is carinate only on one aspect, unlike that of Ramipora ; there is 

 likewise a different arrangement of the cells, irrespective of other 

 minor points which might be entered upon. In the genus Tcenio- 

 pora, Nicholson*, there is a bicarinate polyzoarium, as in Ramipora ; 

 but it forms flattened linear expansions, and branches dichotomously, 

 the branches proceeding from the main stems alternately. Lastly, 

 the polyzoarium in Goniocladia, mihi, is carinate on the celluliferous 

 face only, and in the general arrangement of the cells resembles 

 Ramipora ; but in my genus there is no clear division into inter- 

 stices and dissepiments, and the meshes or fenestrules are all more 

 or less irregular points, which at once separate it from Dr. Toula's 

 form. One of the most marked characters of Ramipora is the 

 upward arching of the secondary branches or dissepiments ; and the 

 resulting peculiarly formed fenestrules are of Synocladia-like cha- 

 racter. It appears to me that Ramipora stands in about the same 

 relation to Synocladia that Ptylopora does to Fenestella ; i. e. in 

 Ramipora we have an aberrant Synocladia, in which there is one 

 chief stem giving off branches, assuming the typical character, more 

 or less, of the latter ; whilst in Ptylopora we see, to all intents and 

 purposes, a Fenestella-like expansion spreading out on each side of a 

 well-marked median rib. Again, another interesting link between 

 several already established genera is Prof, de Koninck's recently 

 described Dendricoporaf, a close ally of Ptylopora (Scouler), M'Coy. 

 but differing from the latter in the presence of a number of lateral 

 branches resembling the main stem or rib, in addition to the 

 secondary ones forming the plumose expansion as in Ptylopora. 

 The generic value of Dendricopora very much depends upon the 

 characters of the perfect polyzoarium in Ptylopora ; for, so far as I 

 am aware, we at present know only the fragment figured by M'Coy. 

 A glance at the respective figures of Ramipora and Dendricopora 

 will show the distinction between them. Were it necessary to pursue 

 this subject further, we might institute a comparison with M'Coy's 

 genus IcJithyorhachis. 



In concluding these remarks on Ramipora, I think it is quite 

 within the bounds of possibility, indeed probability, that it was a 

 specimen of this Mr. Salter had before him when he wrote as follows 

 concerning one of Mr. Lamont's fossils : — " A new genus, in all pro- 

 bability of the Fenestellidse, consisting of thick stems branching 

 regularly from opposite sides, the smaller branches also opposite, 

 and coalescing with their neighbours so as to form a quadrangular 

 network," &c. The fossils described by Dr. Toula, accompanying 

 Ramipora, are evidently of a Permo-Carboniferous facies ; the 

 Polyzoa, with the exception of Phyllopora Laubei, Toula, possess a 



* Geol. Mag. 1874, dec. 2, i. p. 121 ; Eep. Pal. Pror. Ontario, 1874, i. p. 107. 

 t Foss. Pal. Nouv.-Galles du Sud, 1877, pt. 3, p. 169, t. 8. f. 4. 



