554 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [June 25, 



1. ASTROCCENIA MtTLTIGRANOSA, Reuss. 



Reuss described this form from Monte Grumi, and gave admirable 

 figures of it in his ' Pal. Studien fiber die alteren Tertiarsch. der 

 Alpen,' 1. Abtheil. There are three specimens from St. Bartholo- 

 mew's which must be referred to the species. They are in the collec- 

 tions of the University of Upsala and of Mr. P. S. Cleve, of Stockholm. 



2. Astroccenia ramosa, Sowerby, sp., vars. 1 & 2. 



There is a group of forms of Astroccenia which are closely allied, 

 namely: — the so-called species Astrocoenia Koninclci, Edw. & I£.,which 

 is A. magnified, Reuss; Astrocoenia reticulata, Edw. & H., which is but 

 a variety of the last ; and Astroccenia ramosa, the Astrasa ramosa of 

 Sowerby. This differs from A. reticulata by having slenderer branches 

 and smaller calices. Moreover the walls are thick, and are covered 

 with crowded granulations. Astroccenia tuberculata, Reuss, I regard 

 as a variety of A. ramosa. These forms are important members of 

 the Coral-fauna of the horizon of the Cretaceous deposits of Gosau 

 and the Corbieres — of the " Craie tuffeau ; " and their septal arrange- 

 ment is very striking. There are eight large septa, which reach the 

 styloid columella, and eight small and rudimentary septa. 



The type is continued up into the Miocene ; and Astrocoenia ornata, 

 which has close affinities with all these forms, is found in the North - 

 Italian deposits, and also in the Miocene of Antigua. 



This persistence of type has been noticed by me in the case of As- 

 troccenia decaphylla, Micheiin, sp., a species from the " Craie tuffeau," 

 with six primary and four secondary septa, all of which are large and, 

 as it were, principal. It is found in the Miocene of Jamaica (Quart. 

 Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xix. 1863, p. 440). Nevertheless no traces of 

 either type had been found amongst the Eocene Coralliferous deposits. 

 Now, however, amongst the magnificent specimens obtained by Mr. 

 P. T. Cleve from St. Bartholomew's, there are some which must be 

 admitted to belong to the Astrocoenia-ramosa series. 



One group I propose to establish as variety 1, with calices not 

 longer than ^L inch, and with occasional grooves between them, be- 

 side the granulated walls. Another group will become variety 2. 

 Its members have smaller calices, and much thicker branches. 



The thickness of the walls between the calices, and the regularity 

 of their disposition, characterize the species and its varieties ; and the 

 branches are of all sizes, the largest being at least 1| inch in thickness. 



3. Astroccenia D'Achiaedu, spec. nov. PI. XX. fig. 7. 



The corallum is ramose ; and the smaller branches end suddenly 

 with rounded tips. The whole is covered with crowded irregular 

 calices, separated by thin and sharp walls, without ornamentation. 

 The calices are deep, often quadrangular or pentagonal ; and the sty- 

 loid columella is situated deeply, and is usually small. 



The septa are well developed. There are eight large ones, which 

 reach the columella, and eight smaller, which project more or less, 

 and are of different lengths in different calices, but which do not 

 reach the axis. 



