OF THE MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO, 



21 



G-enus Synai^a, Verrill. 



Stnae^a letea. 



Synarsea lutea, Verrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool Harvard, 1869 ; Klunz. 

 op. ext. pt. ii. p. 49, Taf. v. fig. 29, Taf. vii. fig. 4. 

 Locality, Elphinstone Island. 



G-enus Goniopoba. 



GrOlSTOPORA COLEM1SA. 



Goniopora columna, Dana, op. cit. p. 469, pi. 56. fig. 5, 1846. 

 Locality, King Island Bay. 



Goniopora lobata. 



Goniopora lobata, Ed. H. Monogr. des Poritides, p. 40. 

 Locality, Mergui Archipelago. 



The indeterminable species were either dead corals forming 

 the bases of encrusting species, or fragments. A Fungia 

 remains to be described. 



Remarks on the Species. 



The Paracyathi have all a high septal number and low, broad 

 subequal granular costse, and with one exception, P. cceruleus, 

 they have deeply seated small columella. Most of them are 

 large forms, and the specific characters are given by the septa 

 and pali. Some small specimens which are on the blocks of stone 

 with the types show that the septal number is attained very 

 early. 



The species are allied to the Chinese forms and to such species 

 as P. caltha, Verrill, from the west coast of North America. 

 They have but slight affinity with Mediterranean species. 



It is interesting to find that in two of the species the septa, 

 pali, and columella are of a blue colour, which has withstood 

 the effects of alcohol, eau de Javelle, and chloride of lime. Other 

 species are brown in part, whilst one beautiful form is of the 

 usual brilliant white colour. All the Paracyathi are new to 

 science. 



I have already described a species of Polycyathus from the 

 Persian Gulf (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1876, p. 433), and two have now 

 come before me from Mergui. About one which is well charac- 

 terized, P. Verrilli, there is no doubt, and the wandering of the 



