Ser. RuoposrerMea. Fam. Corallinee. 
Puate LXXIII. 
MELOBESIA AGARICIFORMIS, Zar. 
Gen. Cuar. Frond, attached or free, either flattened, orbicular, sinuated or 
irregularly lobed, or cylindrical and branched, (never articulated), 
coated with a calcareous deposit. Lructification ; conical, sessile eap- 
sules (ceramidia), scattered over the surface of the frond, and con- 
taining a tuft of transversely parted, oblong ¢etraspores. MLoBEsta 
(Lamour.),—from one of the Sea nymphs of Hesiod. 
Metopesta agariciformis; frond unattached, globular, hollow; foliations 
delicate, papyro-crustaceous, dense, erect, much lobed and sinuate, 
fastigiate ; margin thin, entire. 
MILLepora agariciformis, Pall. Elench. p. 263. Lam. An. 8. vert. vol. ii. 
p. 204. 2nd. Bait. p. 2. 312. 
MILLEPorRA coriacea, Linn. Syst. p. 1285. Esp. Mill. t. 12. 
MILLEPORA decussata? Ellis et Soland. Zooph. p. 131. t. 23. f. 9. 
Miterora tortuosa, sper. t. 22. 
Nvtirpora agariciformis, Blainv. Actin. p.605. Johnst. Br. Spon. and Lith. 
p. 241. woodeut, no. 23. 
PoLLicrpora agariciformis, Hi. Beitr. p. 129. 
LITHOPHYLLUM expansum, Phil. in Wieg. Arch. 1837. p. 389. exel. syn. 
MELOBESIA expansa, Endl. 3rd Suppl. p. 49. 
LiTHOPHYLLUM decussatum? Phil. d.c. t.9. f. 4. 
ME.Losesia decussata? End. l. c. 
Mosco petroso, Jmperat. Hist. Nat. 600. cum. icone. 
Favacine di Aristotele, specie prima, Ginnani. Op. t. 44. 
Has. Lying on the sandy bottom of quiet bays, in 2-3 fathoms water. 
Rare. Roundstone Bay, Cunnemara, in one or two places only, 
abundant but very local, Mr. Me’ Calla. 
Groer. Distr. Atlantic and Mediterranean shores of Europe, 
Descr. Frond, unattached, forming globular or ovoid masses from four to eight 
inches in diameter, hollow within, seemingly from. the decay of the central 
portion ; very light, of a papery thinness and crustaceous substance ; com- 
posed of innumerable sinuated and lobed lamine, issuing from a point 
towards the centre of the frond, and directed in a radiating manner to the 
circumference. In the centre of the frond the lamine are much united 
together, with vacant spaces and passages forming an irregular set of cham- 
bers; toward the circumference, the lobes are distinct from each other, 
standing erect, variously grouped ; either sinuated, or bent into semicircular 
forms, imbricating on each other, or curled round into little cups, or trumpet 
mouthed siphons. The apices of all are nearly fastigiate, and the margin is 
thin and quite entire. The co/ow when recent, is more or less tinged with 
