THE JOURNAL 



THE LINNEAN SOCIETY. 



A Revision of the Families and Genera of the Sclerodermic 

 Zoantharia, Ed. & H., or Madreporaria (M. Rugosa ex- 

 cepted). — Chapters I.-VI. By Professor P. Maktin 

 Duj?-CAN, F.R.S., P.Gr.S., Vice-Pres. Linnean Society. 



[Read April 3, 1884.] 



CHAPTER I. 



Introduction. The necessity for a revision of the great groups, families, and 

 genera of the Madreporaria, Ed. & H. The changes necessil,ated by the disco- 

 veries of late years, especially those of H. N. Moseley. The classification of 

 Milne-Edwards and J ules Haime. The proposed alterations. The sections of the 

 Sclerodermic Zoantharia, the Madreporaria Rugosa excepted. The new Families. 

 The section Madreporaria Aporosa. The Families. Family Turbinolidje, its 

 subfamilies, alliances, and genera. Lists. 



Introduction. — The state of confusion of the classification of 

 the Sclerodermic Zoantharia, or the Stony Corals (the Madre- 

 poraria of Edwards and Haime), has become very intense during 

 the last few years, and a revision of the great groups, families, 

 and genera is really required. 



No work dealing with the classification of this important Sub- 

 order, as a whole, has appeared since the 'Histoire Naturelle des 

 Coralliaires ' by Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime, in 1860. That 

 great work, following that of Dana on the Zoophytes of the 

 "Wilkes Exploring Expedition (1846), formed an epoch in the 

 zoology of the Corals. It was a work of vast labour, and its 



LINN. JOUKN. ZOOLOGY, VOL. XVIII. 1 



