MORPHOLOGY. 
God. 11 
inches, and they must have attained this size in less than seven years. 
The species were Orbicella annularis (two specimens), Manicina arcolata y 
and Isophyllia dipsacea. 
Bell (4) gives a preliminary note on two Antipatharians, Qerardia 
savalia and Antipathes robillardi. 
Von Koch (54) gives a demonstration of the relation between the hard 
and soft parts of Flabettum , Galaxea, and other corals. The same author 
(52, 1) remarks that in Astroides calicularis the tentacles are greatly con- 
tracted and withdrawn during retraction. They are surrounded by an 
annular rim of the body-wall, but occasionally a portion of the basal part 
of the tentacles telescopically protects them. 
In a note (52, 2) on septal budding in Madreporaria , Von Koch asserts 
that this phenomenon does occur in Madreporaria , notwithstanding 
Neumayr’s assertion to the contrary. There is also a note (52, 3) on the 
true and false synapticulee of Fungia. 
Ortmann (76) gives a systematic account of the skeleton, and mode of 
gemmation in several species of corals. 
Alcyonaria. 
Von Koch (52, 1) gives a note on the terminal polype and siphono- 
zoid of Fennatula and Fteroides , and remarks that in Rkizoxenia rosea 
a partial invagination of the base of the tentacle takes place during 
retraction. 
The same author (53) remarks that Sympodium coralloides is a true 
Alcyonid adapted to live on a Gorgonia stem ; he proposes to change the 
name to Alcyonium coralloides. 
Thurston (83, 84) and Gathorne Hardy (37) give some notes on the 
habits of Virgularia. 
Saville Kent (78) considers that it is possible that Heliopora ccerulea 
may be a tubicolous Annelid. 
Hickson (41) and Haddon(35) maintain that Heliopora is undoubtedly 
an Alcyonarian. 
Hasse (39) describes two species of fossil corals from the Middle Lias 
of Gotha that he considers to be fossil Alcyonaria, possibly allied to 
Duva and Drifa. 
Coral Reef Problems. 
BOttger (12) gives a historical account of our knowledge of coral 
reefs and islands, and an elaborate list of books and papers referring to 
the subject. 
Langenjbeck’s important work (56) contains full discussions of many of 
the most important problems concerning the formation of coral reefs and 
islands. It contains an elaborate discussion of the supposed coral reef 
origin of the Dolomites. 
Von Lendenfeld (63, 1), in giving a general support to the Dar- 
