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Show 1897.] FROM THE S.W. PACIFIC OCEAN. 945 The stereoplasm is well developed in the cells, causing the corallum to be very dense and heavy. Botuma; outer reef. The one specimen shows a fusion between the branches 3*5 cms. below their summits, the branches arising from this being roughly circular, 8-12 mms. in diameter. The other specimen, which is only about 3 cms. high, seems to represent a young colony, the growth of which has been checked by the apices of its branches reaching the low-tide level of the pit in the reef in which it probably grew, as they are somewhat flattened, and the lateral verrucae are much elongated. 9. BOCILLOPORA LACERA, Verrill. Pocillopora lacera, Verrill, Proc. Essex Inst. vol. vi. p. 100. A clump about 9 cms. in diameter by 5 cms. high was obtained, which agrees closely with Verrill's short description. The verrucae are few, narrow and elongate, and pass gradually into the branchlets, which are from 5-10 mms. long. Lateral calices round and shallow, *7 m m . in diameter, distant about half their diameter from one another; terminal calices 1 m m . in diameter, somewhat angular in shape, thin-walled and deep. Septa 12 thin spiniform lamellae; columella a large round low spinulous projection. Corallum dense; ccenenchyma covered with low, somewhat branched spines, which form distinct striatious between the calices. Eotuma; outer reef. 10. BOCILLOPORA CLAVARIA (Ehrenberg). (Elate LVII. fig. 1.) Pocillopora cluvaria, Ehrenberg, Die Corallenthiere des Bothen Meeres, p. 128. I have referred a small clump 11 cms. iu diameter by 5 cms. high to this species. The colony consists of rather short branches, which dichotomize regularly, and arise from a broad incrusting base ; the branches, where they are given off, are about 13 mms. in diameter, and are somewhat incrassate at their apices. The branches are covered with very obtuse verrucae about 3 mms. broad at their bases by about 2*5 m m s . high ; on the sides of the branches they are much appressed. In places between the terminal verrucae of the branches the calices are angular and thin-walled, but on the verrucae they are round, about 1 m m . in diameter, and relatively thick-walled, the ccenenchyma being generally well developed and granular. The septa are very variable, in some calices being indistinguishable, but in others represented by spinulous lamellae; the two directive septa cannot generally be identified. Columella small, distinct, and spinulous. Funafuti; outer reef. 11. POCILLOPORA OBTUSATA, n. sp. (Plate LVI. fig. 2.) Corallum forming a low, broadly hemispherical mass, consisting |
