"Much of the confusion I© regard ts the sas® of this species is 
d«© to the fact that It was generally described and figured from badly 
beach-worn specimen® by the earlier writers* Such specimens have the 
septa and ©allele® worn away and the hard eatetheea thus become® promi- 
nent around the excavate a&llele®, so as to greatly change the appear- 
ance of the As»»il coral. Another cause is the rather rwld® variations 
in the sine of the ©alleles. 
^The normal or average specimens have the ©alleles about 6 to 8 
i m* in diameter, but oceasiiaally a specimen occurs in which part or 
all of the© may be §-10 am., or rarely, even IX mm, in diameter. 
Sometimes* o n crowded part® of large specimen®, the diameter may be 
only 4 to & mm, Th® degree of elevation of the ©alleles is also 
more or las® variable on a single specimen* 
*Th@ said cl# s may bo pretty close together, whore crowded, but 
in other cases they are separated by space® of 4 to 6 mml or mors. 
The costa® ar® usually wall developed a® denticulated, rounded, radial 
rib®, usually 48 In number. 
“The septa are generally about 48, arranged in four regular cycles, 
but several of those of the last cycle ar® often rudimentary or lacking, 
reducing the number to 40-44. They differ in breadth and thickness 
according to the cycle®} those of the last cycle arc very thin and often 
bend toward and Join those of the third cycle* The principal septa 
ar© exsert, denticulated, and thickened at the wall* the columella is 
usually well developed and broad. The palif ora teeth ar© distinct, 
but not very prominent. St comet is®® forms hemispherical mass©® 4 to 
& foot ©r more Ins4Iam@t®r. 
“This specie® appear® to be rare at the Bermudas, and probably oc- 
curs only oa th# outermost reefs. The only specimen seen by me from 
there was from near the Ho rib Rock#. (Centennial collection.) 
It is a hemisphere about 11 inches in diameter, of the typical for®. 
It is common on the Florida reef® and throughout the West India®. 
Bahia, Bmgil} (Yale Mu®. )|* van. hi rta . now.* with elevated corallite®} 
roughly serrate* thin costa© and sept®} ©allele® deep, 5-6 mm. broad} 
septa narrow, perpendicular within, usually 40-44. PI. XXIII, fig®. 
3, 2a. « 
