60 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
cinal pattern of five-sided divisions, unequal in size. This differs 
mainly from F. aspera, in having its surface convex instead of flat. 
A broken piece of F. aspera, however, will show the edges of the 
tubes toothed, instead of smoothly columnar as in F. Oothlandica. F^ 
muUipora has its calices equal in size, and very regular. These three 
species are the giants of their tribe, specimens weighing sixty or 
eighty pounds are not uncommon in the Wenlock shale of Dudley, or 
BenthaU Edge. A little below the Wych-pass at Great Malvern, 
where the Wenlock-shale rests against the west flank of the hill, a 
reef of Favosites crosses the footway, and may be traced in an un- 
broken line for some yards. 
The calices of F. Forhesii are very unequal in size, and quite circu- 
lar ; this, though a massive species, never attains the size of its allies. 
A side view of F. fibrosa gives one the idea of a bundle of slender 
needles ; consequently its calices are scarcely discernible without a 
lens. F. cristata is the only true branching Favosite ; it may be 
known from other arborescent corals by the irregularity of form pre- 
sented by its calices. 
Alveolites is the genus most allied to the one I have been describ- 
ing. It differs in this important and easily recognized particular ; 
the calices of Favosites come up to the surface free and independent 
of each other, whereas in Alveolites each appears to overlap and in- 
trude upon its neighbour, though not so in reality. The largest 
massive species, A. LahecJieii is perhaps the most elegant in its calici- 
nal pattern. A. Orayii is much like it, but has a flat instead of convex 
top, and the irregularity of the calices detract much from its beauty. 
A. repens is a very commonly met with branched species. A. (?) seria- 
toporoides is branched also, but seems intermediate between this genus 
and the next, Goenites, for the caUces are very sparely set among a greatly 
developed coenenchyma, are quite circular, and arranged in perpendi- 
cular order. These Gmnites are beautiful branching corals, to be seen 
in every slab of Wenlock limestone ; and though of small size, are not 
the least important of fossil zoophytes. The branches of C. jvMtperi- 
nus are round, or nearly so, and bear calices shaped like the Zodiacal 
sign Aquarius, or, to use a still more familiar simile, like birds upon 
the wing. The calices of G. intertextus have shorter and less elegant 
wings ; while G. linearis is massive instead of branching, and has 
