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MAY 26 ^nU

ON THE

EYONIxiN FOSSILS

CANADA WEST.

BY K. BILLINGS, F.G.S.

f traded from the Report of the Geological Survey of Canada
for 1860, — in preparation.

(From the Cana dian Journal for May, 186(>.)

^^HE Devonian Rocka of Canada West consist of portions of the

iskany Sandstone, Schoharie Grit, Onondaga Limestone, Comi-

ous Limestone, Hamilton, Portage, and Chemnng Groups. The .

Titesils of the first of these formations are about to be published by

^ofessor Hall, in his forthcoming third volume of the Palceontology

New York; and I shall therefore postpone the examination of

ch as we have from that rock until after the appearance of that

rk. Under the term Corniferous Limestone, as it will be used

reafter throughout this paper, are included all those rocks which

uld probably in the State of New York be divided into three

oups, — the Schoharie Grit, Onondaga Limestone, and Corniferous

imestone. At any rate, the two latter seem to be in Canada united

y their palceontological characters. The Hamilton Shales we classify

a separate formation immediately overlying the Corniferous Lime-

Wone. The Portage and Chemung Groups are also distinct ; but I

4inail leave the examination of their fossils for some future occasion.

• 1 1

• ••

• • •

• •

• • • • • •

1 1 « . » » •

j^vm^

• • •

. • ••

• • • •

s 5 • « •

fit

• •

-•;>',
v

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

These rocks are, in Canada West, highly tbssiliferous, and in some
places even densely crowded with the remains of extinct species of
corals, encrinitei^ molhiscs, trilobites, and large fishes. The fofyift^^*
however, are ftaj^the greater part in so imperfect a condition, that few
of the specfes can oe well defined from the collections made thus far,
and, on account of the scarcity of good specimens, many years must'
elapse before anything approaching to a complete description of the
whole fauna of the period can be produced. To accomplish this
within a reasonable time, will require the co-operation of many Inc^f
observers, each devoting his leisure hours to the minute examination
of all the rocks in the neighbourhood of his residence, and each in-
fluenced to do so by the desire of promoting the cultivation of tlw
sciences in this Province. With a number of such men distributed
throughout the fossiliferous regions of Canada, the work will advance i
rapidly. Without rome voluntary assistance of this kind, the pro-
gress must be extremely gradual, so difficult is it to procure good
specimens of most of the species. Few are aware of the importance
of long-continued researches in a single locality, or even in a single
quarry. I devoted the greater part of the spare time of seven yeaw
to the examination of an area of which all the exposed patches of
rock, if put together, would not make a superficies of one square
mile, and yet its treasures were not exhausted. Since I left, other*
have entered the same field, and have been rewarded by the discovery
of many interesting new facts. There are hundreds of such localities
in Canada yet to be explored ; and T there were a good observer iu
or near each of them, and if all would freely communicate the fi uj^ts
of their labours, the combined results could not be other>7ise \an.^
important to science, and highly creditable to the country.

In making collections, the mode of procedure is exceedingly]
simple. All that is to be done is to examine the rocks, and if theyj
contain fossils, collect them. The specimens should then be seat]
where the species can be determined. Unless the observer publishes^
some account of his facts, or (in case he does not feel competent
do so himself) communicates them to some other person who q«n,j
and will give them publicity, the labour is lost. In the following
and other articles to be published in this Journal hereafter, I intend
to give figures and descriptions of many of our Devonian Fossils, and
hope that they may be, to some extent, useful in assisting the local
observer to name his specimens. That he can name all that he n»J

SA>

••• •••

• • •• •

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WSST.

find, by comparing them with the figures and descriptions, I am well
aware, from my own experience, is impossible. There are numerous
Species concerning which the most experienced practical natnralisti
wouW remain in doubt, although assisted in the examination by all
the aids that can be drawn from extensive libraries of scientific works.
Let no beginner, therefore, feel disappointed or discouraged should he
fail to satisfy himself that he has succeeded in naming his specimens
correctly from books. These papers will be of some service ; but I
shall also be most happy to examine and name (so far as I can) col-
lections from any part of the Province, on condition that I shall be
permitted to describe the new forms, and retain, for the Provincial
Collection, a specimen of each species of which we have not already
examples in the Museum. This would be beneficial to all parties,
and greatly promote the advance of science in this country. I
earnestly hope, that at least a few of those who reside in the vicinity
of fossiliferous Devonian rocks in Canada West, may be induced to
render me their assistance in this way. The specimens should be
carefully wrapped up in paper and packed in a strong box, and sent
to the Geological Survey at Montreal. Delicate fossils should be
protected, by being placed in a separate box, otherwise they will be
crushed by the others. When a fine fossil, such as a well preserved
trilobite, encrinite, or othoceratite, is imbedded in a piece of stone,
no attempt should be made to chisel it out. Unless the operation is
performed by a most experienced hand, in nine cases out of ten the
specimen will be greatly injured, if not totally destroyed. The lo-
cality of each specimen should be given. I am purticularly desirous
of procuring specimens of fossil shells which exhibit the inner sur-
face, since it is from such that the characters of the genera can be
best worked out. As soon as they are examined, the specimens will
be sent back, free of expense.

ZOOPHYTA.

In a paper published in the Canadian Journal for March, 1859,
I gave an account of forty-three species of corals from the Devonian
rocks of Canada West. In the following article I shall describe
eleven new species ; and there are from ten to fifteen others which
must remain until better specimens can be procured. I think it pro-
bable that altogether there are eighty species of corals in these rocks
in Canada, and many of them were so prolific, thai the zoophyta

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

mu9t have constituted four-tifths in bulk of the whole fauna of the
period. In England and in Germany, the grand coralline horizon of
the Devonian era lies in the middle of the series. The faun." of the
Corniferous Limestone and Hamilton Shales would therefore appear
to be more nearly relateu to the middle than to the lower Devonian
of Europe. Such is the position assigned to them in the third
edition of Sir Roderick Murchison's noble work, Silicria, But if it
can be shewn that the coralline beds of Canada include the Schoharie
Grit of New York (as I strongly suspect they do), then this latter
formation must also be added to the middle Devonian. On this latter
point, however, I can give no positive opinion, as the fossils of the
Schoharie Grit of New York are totally unknown to the scientific
world .

The following may be given as a table shewing approximj\tely the
position of the different American sub-divisions of the Devonian
system, as indicated by the evidence of the fossil corals :

Old Red Sandstone, or

Catskill Group

Chemung Group

Portage Group

Upper Devonian.

Genesee Slate

TuUy Limestone

Hamilton Group -

Marcellus Shale ) ^^^^''^^^ Devonian.

Corniferous Limestone

Onondaga Limestone

Schoharie Grit

Cauda-galli Grit \ Lower Devonian.

Oriskany Sandstone /

It is important to observe, that in Gaspe we find some of the cha-
racteristic fossils of the Oriskany Sandstone intermingled in the same
beds with those of the Upper Pentamerus Limestone, and therefore
it may be that when these Gaspd rocks are studied, we shall find it
difficult to draw the line between the Lower Devonian and the Lower
Helderberg.

THB DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Genus Striatopora. — (Hall.)

Pig. 1.

PiK.8

Pig. 8.

Pig. 4.

the upper figure «

Pig. 1. Striatopora Linneanu,
Pigs. 2, 3, 4. Trachypora elegantula.—'Pif(. 4 is a portion enlarged:

longitudinal section.

Generic characters. — " Ramose, ooralla solid ; stems composed of
angular cells ; apertures of cells opening upon the surface into ex-
panded angular cup-like depressions; interior of the cell rayed or
striated, striee extending beyond the aperture of the cell."— (Hall.
Paleontology of New York, vol. 2, page 156.)

Striatopora Linneana. — N. Sp.

Description.— Stems two or three lines in diameter, branching at an
angle of from 75° to 80° ; cells variable in size, the greater number
with the expanded mouth one line wide, and the circular cavity at the
bottom from one-third to one-half of a line ; the smaller or younger
cells, of all sizes, are somewhat uniforml^^^ distributed among the
larger. In the perfeci specimens the mouths of the cells are every-
where in contact with each other, the edges of the walls between
them sharp, and the form more or less polygonal, generally five or six
sided. In worn specimens the cells are more nearly circular, and the
walls obtusely rounded on the edge. The striae in the cell mouths
not observed. I have seen only two specimens of this species, and
am unable, therefore, to state to what extent the stems may vary in
thickness. In 8. rugosa (Hall),* Hamilton Group, Iowa, the cells
are distant from each other nearly their own diameter, and the stem
is branched at an angle of about 55° (iu the specimen figured). In
S.flexuosa (Hall),t Niagara Group, (4ie tells are, upon an average,
more than one line and a half wide, and many of them two lines.
Our species, therefore, must be regarded as distinct from either.

• Geology of Iowa. Vol. 1, Part 2. page 479, PI. 1, flff. 6.

+ Palaontology of New y'ork. Vol. 2. page 166, pi. 40 B, fig. la.

f THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CAJ4ADA WE3T.

Locality and /oma^on.— Township of Bosanquet, lot 25, con. 5.
Shalea of the Hamilton Group.

Collectors. — A. Murray, J. Richardson.

StRIATOPORA FORMOSA. — N. Sp.

Deacription.— Stems from one line and a half to three lines in
thickness ; cells of an uniform size or very nearly so, three -fourths
of a line in width, opening out on the surface at an angle Oi* about
45° with the longitudinal axis of the stem, the cell mouths very gra-
dually expanded, apparently fifteen fine obscure striae occupying the
whole surface of the upper lip.

This species differs from S. Linneana in having the cells smaller
and of an uniform size. The cell mouths are as wide in stems, one
and a half lines in thickness, as they are in the largest specimens
seen. I have not ascertained the angle at which the stems bifurcate.
In perfect specimens, where the cells are empty, on looking into them
obliquely downwards, they are seen to become circular just below the
edge of the lower lip, their diameter there being a little less than half
the transverse width of the mouth.

Locality and formation. — Corniferous Limestone, near Woodstock.

Collector. — A. Murray.

Genm Trachypora. — (Edwards and Haime.)

Generic characters.— " CoraWum dendroid, the branches presenting
calyces which are only slightly salient, and in which there are no ra-
diating septa ; ccencnchyme very abundant, solid, and with the surface
marked by strong, irregular, vermicular, and sub-echinulated strise."
—(Edwards and Haimk. Pohjpiers Fossiles des Terrains PalcBo-
goiques. Page 305.)

The only species of this genus heretofore known, is T. Davidsoni
(E. and H.), which occurs in the Devonian Rocks at Ferques, in
France.

TRACilYPORA EI.EGANTUIOA. N. Sp.

{See Figt. 2, 8, 4.)

Description.— Stems, (in the specimens examined) from two to two
and a half lines in diameter, branching at an angle of about 75°.
Cells arranged in four or five rows, parallel with the axis of the stem ;
they are oval, about one line in length and two-thirds of a line wide,
with an elevated margin at the sides, in general effuse above, rarely

■>f

TH* DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WF.ST. 7

effuse below. The space between the cells is marked with irregular,
flexuous, broken striee, four or five in the width of one line ; the
elevated margin at the sides of the cells exhibits from seven to nine
short oblique ridges or tubercles. In the longitudinal rows, the cells
are sometimes in contact with each other, and often separated, by
distances equal to half their own length, or a little more. In T.
Davidaoni, the cells are not arranged in linear series, and the striae
are of a different form.

Locality and formation. — Lot 26, con. 5, Bosanquet.

Collectors.— -A.. Murray and J. Bichardson.

Genua Alveolites. — (Lamarck.)

The following three species appear to belong to this genus :
Alveolites Roemer;. — N.Sp.

Description. — Stems from two to three lines in diameter, usually
cylindrical, but sometimes sub-palmate, branching. Cells trans-
versely oval, about half a line wide and one-fourth of a hne in length ;
in general distant from each other from half a line to two -thirds of a
line in the longitudinal direction of the stem, and half that distance
in the transverse direction.

In some specimens the cells are not quite so distant as above si
and it may be that these should coastitute a distinct species
A> labiosa {Canadian Journal, March, 18.59), the cells, wbeu per
are scarcely one-fourth of a line wide ; A. cryptodens {Loc cit), i. .
upon the whole, a larger species, with the cells about a line distant.

The stems appear to bifurcate at an angle of 'irom .50° to 60° ; but
the specimens are not sufficiently perfect to determine this character
with certainty.

Locality and formation. — Lot 25, con. .5, Bosanquet. Hamilton
Shales.

Collectors. — A. Murray, J. Richardson.

Alveolites Goldfussi. — N. Sp.

Description. — This species occurs in irregularly circular depressed
masses, several inches wide and one or two inches in height. The
corallites radiate from a point in the bottom, and the mass, rapidly
increasing in width, has a very obtusely turbinate form, flattened and
undulated on the top, and apparently composed of horizontal super-

THB DKVONIAN F0S8IM OF CANADA WE8T.

imro8ed layers. The cells are transversely sub-oval or sub-triangular,
usually with one -curved side nnd two straight, sides. In some parts
of the nass, especially on the edges, they approach the sub-circular
polygonal forn.. but usually they are wider in the one direction than
in the other. The ^^!dth is in general three-fourths of f., line (borae-
times one line), and the height half a line. The bottom of t!' . mass
18 either in part or wnolly covered by a thin, smooth, but concentri-
call/ undulated epitheca.

Pig. 5.

Fig.e.

It' fl '*Jr^;'f' G;o/.(ft««.-.Upper side of » smalUpecimen.
*ig. 6. Alveolites Fisch«H.-Oae side of a frond.

This species resembles A. suborbicularis (Lamarck) of the Devo-
man Rocks of England. France, and Germany; but in that species
there IS a groove on one side of the cell, and a corresponding ridge on
the side opposite. I have not been able to detect these characters in
very well preserved specimens of A. Gold/ussi, and feel satisfied that
It is therefore a distinct species.

ShaleT^'^^ """^ /o'v««^co«._Lot 25, con. 5. Bosanquet. Hamilton
Collectors.— A Murray, J. Richardson.

Alveolites FiscHERi.—iV. Sp.

(See Fig. 6.)

l)escription.-T\m species is found in the shape of flattened, pal-
mate, obscurely branching fronds, celluliferous on both sit s Some
of the fragments appear to be portions of undulated expansions, two
to four lines m thickness, and several inches wide. The majority of
the specimens, however, indicate a palmated form, two to four inches

THE DEVONIAN r088IL8 Of CANADA WEST. 9

in leugth, from half an inch to more rhau one incl» wide, and (fom
one to three lines in thicVness. The cell«, when perft jt, are trans-
versely suboval or sub-triangular, Msually with one curved and two
straight sides, from half a line to two-thirds of a line wide ; distant
from each other a'uout two-thirds of a line in the vertical, and a little
less in the transverse direction jf the frond. When well preserved,
the lower lip, or edge of the cell, is thin, sharp, and uniformly
arched. In the very thin fronds (one line in thickiiess), the cells
open out on the surface at a very acute ao^le, apparently 15^ to 20° ;
but m the thicker specimens the angle is greater — sometimes 45°.

Locality and formation.— Boa&nnu^ Shales of the Hamilton
Group.

Collectors. — A. Murray, J. Richardson.

\lvkohte8 squamosa. — N. Sp.

Description.— Thi" species is found in wide, flat, irregular expansions,
sometimes six or se^en inches in breadth, and from half ?.n inch to
one inch and a half in thickness ; composed of successive, and often
much distorted, layers ; the .^ells opening out upon the surface very
obliquely, and se^^arated from each other by exceedingly thin parti-
tions, which, when silicified and well brought out by the action r^f
the weather, present a peculiarly rough squamose appearance. The
cells are linear, in general about half a line in length, and apparently
one-tenth of a line in width. One of the specimens examined ex-
hibits two spots, one-fourth of an inch wide each, where the cells are
less than half the average size. There are obscure indications of a
central ridge on one side of the cell in this species, as there is in
A. suborbicularis.

This species differs from A. Goldfuisi in having much smaller uxxA
more compressed cells. Im a space one-fourth of an inch square, I
have counted ninety-seven cells ; and the average appears to be from
seventy-five to one hundred, with here and there spots holding double
that number. In A. Goldfmsi there are from sixteen to thirty in the
same area. (Jn comparing the figures of A. suborbicularis in the
works of GoLDFUKs, Sandbergek, and Bronn, it will be seen that
in that species there are about fifty cells in one-fourth of an inch
square. The difference in the size (great though it be) might not be
sufficient to separate these three species, but the form of the cells
appears to be also different. A. Goldfussi has not the groove on the

THE DBVONIAN F088ILS OF CANADA WEST.

outer hp, nor the ridge on the inner, that is exhibited by A. tuborbu
c^^am; while A. squamosa, although possessing the ridge, does not
seem to have the groove ; and ' esides, the cells are in general linear,
instead of sub-oval or sub-po)ygonal.

Locality a;trf/oma«o»._Township of Cayuga. Corniferous Lime-
stone.

Collector.^3. De Cew.

Syringopora MACLUREi.--(Billings.)

Syringopora TUBiPORoiDEs.-(Billings.) Canadian Journal,
Vol. IV. page 1 15. March, 1859.

Not S. tubiporoidea (Yandell and Shumard), nor of M. Edwards
and J. Haime. Polypiers fosailes des terrains palaozoiques, p. 292.

Since the publication of this species in the Canadian Journal in
March last, Professor Dana, of New Haven, has informed me that the
tme& tubiporoides is a much larger form, and is supposed to be an
Endophyllum. I thought I could identify ours by the description
given m the work of Edwards and Haime, but it now appears quite
certain that it is not the same ; and also that their fossil cannot be
the S. tubiporoides of Yandell and Shumard. In order, therefore, to
avoid corfusion, I propose to change the name of this species to
o. Maclurei.

In my description, the corallites are said to have a diameter of about
one ime and a half; but, afte. examining other specimens, I find that
m the greater number it is more nearly one line. In some of the cole
mes, many of the tubes are full one line and one-third in thickness,
and It was upon these my first statement was founded.

Sometimes the groups are exceedingly irregular, the coralUtes
widely separated and straggling through the rock.

Favosites tuhbikata.
FAT08IT18 TUEfliNATA (BiUiDgs.) Canadian Journal, March, 1869.
The description of this species was published in the Canadian
Journal for March, 1859. At thai time the only specimens I had
seen were from the Corniferous Limestone, but we have now sevDral
from the Hamilton Group. The species differe from all other Fam-
sites known, in its peculiar mode of growth. The form renembles
that of 6 large cyathophylloid coral.-turbmate, the base or smaUer

THK DEVONIAN FOSSII.S OF CAi<IAOA WKST.

pointed extremity usually curved, but occasionally straight ; more
or less rapidly expanding upwards ; sometimes so much elongated as
to become irregularly cylindrical ; several inches in diameter, and
(though rarely) two feet in length. The more common length is
from two to six inches. But the most remarkable character is, that

Fig. 7.

Pig. 7. Favoiites turbinata.—A. small curved specimen, a. exhibits the different

appearances of the cells.

the whole surface, except the larger end, is covered with a thick
epitheca, which completely closes all the tubes. In general, the
substance of the epitheca only fills the mouth of the tube, but leaves
the walls so far visible that the polygonal form of the cells can be
distinctly seen. In such specimens, the disc which closes the mouth
of the corallitea sometimes retains the impre.ssions of the radiating
septa, and thus presents an obscurely stellate appearance. There
are some with an epitheca so thick, that it not only fills the cells but
also entirely conceals the walls, so that the whole mass exhibits an
uniformly smooth surfrace.

In the original description, the corallites are said to be " usually
somewhat less than a line in width." In one of the specimens from
the Hamilton Group, the cells are, upon an average, full one line in
diameter, with here and there one nearly a line and a half wide ;
and no doubt others will be found still larger, for in all the species
of Favosites this character is somewhat variable. The description,
therefore, should state that the cells are about one line in width,
a little more or less. This species is now known to occur in the
Oriskany Sandstone, the Corniferous Limestone, and in the Hamil-
ton Shales. I have ascertained that there are one, two, or three
rows of pores ; usually two.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.
V. GOTHLANDICA and F. HEMJSI'HEBIOA.

Both of these species occur iu the Hamilton Group, at Bosan-
quet; the former in dome- shaped masses, from three inches to a
yard in diameter, with cells about one line and a half wide : the
latter in somewhat flat, undulating expansions, from three inches to
one foot or more in width, aud from less than one to three inches in
thickness. In some specimens of the latter, the cells are half a line
wide, or thereabouts, and of an uniform size all over the whole sur-
face ; but in others there are numerous spots where the cells are
only one-fourth of a line in width. In this respect the specimens
from the Hamilton Group agree e.Tactly witli those of the Corni-
ferous Limestone.

DiPHYPHYLLUM ABCniACI. — N. Sp.

¥iis. 8.
Tin. S- Diphyphyllnm Avchinci,

Description.— i^oraWnva. forming large masses of parallel nearly
straight cylindrical stems, in contact with each other, or nearly so,
and which, when full grown, are from six to eight lines in diameter.
The young stems are added by lateral or marginal gemmation, and
are at first two or three lines in diameter, their adult size being at-
tained at the length of two or three inches. At the diameter of
four or five lines, there are between thirty aud thirty -five radiating
septa ; at six or eight lines, usually about fifty ; but occasionally in
those of the larger size, from seventv-five to eighty may be seen.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OK CANADA WEST.

Fifty appears to be the cominou number. There are two or three
transverse diaphragms in one line. In moat of the corallites there
is a central area, one line or a little leys in diameter, into which the
radiating septa do not penetrate. Others in the same mass seem to
be without this central area Surface with a somewhat thick
epitheca, which, where perfectly preserved, is beautifully ornamented
with fine crowded, encircling striae, from fifteen to twenty in the
width of one line. In addition to these fine striae, there are nume-
rous usually sharp-edged annulatious, varying from less than one-
fourth of a line in width and depth, to one or two lines. Some of
the corallites exhibit sudden constrictions of growth, which give to
them the appearance of a series of short turbinate stems inserted
into each other.

The epitheca is often entirely or partially worn away, and the fine
stria) can only be seen when tlie surface is in a very perfect state of
preservation.

It is probable this coi-^.l occurs simple as well as aggregate.

Variety. — A fragment from Lot No. 2. Con. 4, Townaend, three
inches and a half in length and seven lines in diameter, and with
about fifty radiating septa, appears to belong to this species but
differs in having the surface with only five encircling striae to one
line. Jiesembles Cijnthophyllum ccespitosum (Groldfuss) ; but that is
a smoother species, and, according to McCoy, only four or five lines
in diameter.

Locality and formation.— Lot 25, Con 5, Bosanquet. Hamilton
Shales.

Collectors. — A, Murray, J. Eichardson.

Heligphtlltjm exiouitm. — JV. Sp.

Fip.

Vig. 10.
Vig. 10. The same.— View of the cup.

Fig. 0. Ueliophylhim exiguitm.—^\AQ view.

Description.— ^m&W, turbinate, more or less curved, often flattened
on the side of the convex curvature, radiating septa between sixty
and eighty ; about six obscure arched striae to one line on their flat
sides, and the^same number of spines on their edges. The depth of

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

ill

the cup 18 equal to one-fourth or one-third of the whole length of
the coral. In small specimens, the margin of the cup is thin and
sharp ; but m the large ones rounded, and one line or a little more
m hickness About one-half of the radiating septa reach the
centre and form a small rounded elevation on the bottom of the
cup. There is a septal fossette on one side, which, in all the speci-
mens I have seen, reaches the centre. The surface exhibits a few
sharp constrictions of growth, with rounded annulations between
them, the latter often abruptly terminated on their upper sides In
very perfect specimens, fine encircling stria? of variable size, appa-
rently from eight to fifteen in the width of one line. The horizontal
8tri«), which indicate the number of the septa, are distinctly visible
but not strongly marked. The position of the septal fossette is in-
dicated on the outside of the cup by two septal ridges, which extend
the wnole length of the coral, and constitute one of the lines alone
which the younger septa were added from time to time.

The greater number oi the specimens are from six to nine lines in
length, but some are full one inch. The width of the cup is'always
a httle less than the length of the entire fossil. The most common
number of septa is sixty. Tfap arched stride and spines are not often
preserved.

Locality and fonnation.-Rmx^^^ Farm, near Port Colborne
Lorniferous Limestone.
Collector.— E. Billings.

ClATHOPHYLLUM ZeNKJSHI.— iV. Sp,

Fig. 11.

■

Pis. .1. C,affl.,M(.« 2«*,W.-S,d. ,i.„ ., . ^^

D«.m^ft»„.-0„rallum „mple, turbinate. BtronX curved at tfc»
ported b..e, gentl, a»d u„if„™„ arcKed nbove, MjL^^

THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WF8T.

le length of
is thin and
little more
reach the
torn of the
1 the speci-
ibits a few
IS between
sides. lu
size, appa-
horizontal
tly visible,
jette is in-
ich extend
ines along

le lines in

) is][alway8

fc common

not often

Col borne.

I at the
alargiilg

to the diameter of one inch and a half at a length of two inches and
a half. Cup about three-fourths of an inch in depth, the form cf
the bottom variable, either with a smooth space or a small pit in the
centre, cr covered with the prolonged radiating septa ; these latter
about one hundred and fifty in number; the interseptal spaces filled
for a short distance from the outer surface with amall sub-lenticular
cells, of which there are about four in one line ; a small space be-
neath the bottom of the cup in full-grown specimens, with flexuous
transverse diaphragms. Surface, when perfect, with sometimes a
few inconspicuous encircling ann Jations of growth, but often with
a somewhat smooth aspect, longi^adlnally marked with the septal
striae, of which there are, on an average, five or six in the width of
two lines; when partially decorticated, the interseptal spaces
roughened with small subimbricating projections or notches, with
their sharper edges usually turned upwards— about four of these in
one line. The largest specimen that I have seen is three inches and
one-fourth in length, measured along the surface of the side with
the larger or convex curve, and one inch and a half on the lesser
curve. The diameter of the cup, in the same specimen, is one inch
and a half. Several others that I have seen are from one to two
inches and a half in length.

The arrangement of the septa in the bottom of the cup appears
to vary a good deal in different individuals. In one specimen two
inches in length, there is a deep septal fossette on one side, and a
pit in the centre of the cup. The septa branch off, as it were, on
each side of a depressed line, extending from the central pit to the
fossette. In another, about the same size, the septa all reach the
centre in the bottom of the cup, and are there somewhat twisted to-
gether. There is a septal fossette in this specimen also. In a
third individual, with a cup one inch in diameter, there is a smooth
space two lines wide in the centre, with an obscurely indicated
septal fossette. I think it probable that most of the large indivi-
duals will be found to have the bottom smooth.

The form of the walls of the cup also varies according to the
age of the individual. In the immature it is thin, and the septa
alternate somewhat in size. But in the large ones (three inches in
length) the interseptal spaces are filled with the cellular tissue
nearly to the free edges of the septa, and the wall of the cup is
thus rendered solid for the thickness of two lines, or a little more.

il|i

i i

THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

In those large ones, also, it is to be observed that the septa are of
a nearly uniform size when seen in the upper part of the wall of
the cup.

There are several species of fossil corals in the Corniferous Lime-
stone, which resemble this one in external appearance :

1. Zaphrentu proliJica.-Uhe greater number of the specimens
are about the same size as those of C. Zenkeri, but are more slender
towards the base, seldom uniformly curved, the septa alternating in
size in the walls of the cup, and the septal stria four in two lines.
The worn specimens do not exhibit the roughened nodulose ex-
tenor presented by C. Zenkeri when partially decorticated.

2. Cyathophyllum Lesueun.-~Th.\9 is a somewhat larger species
with the septa (just within the margin of the cup) distant nearly one
line from each other, but with the septal stri» as closely arranged as
theyareinC. ^.;j4-m; and further, under certain conditions, ex-
hibiting ton striae to two lines.

3. Zaphrentis co;-w?VM/«.-(Edwaids & Haime.) This species has
not been found to my knowledge in Canada, but I have before me two
specimens from Ohio (from Dr. Shumard.) The surface resembles
C Zenkeri, but then the septa inside of the cup are denticulated on
their edges and, besides, are large and small alternately. Z. cornicula
appears to be a Heliophyllum.

4. Olisiophyllum Oneidaense.—Thii perfect specimens are marked
with numerous sharp annulations, but when the outer surface has been
worn away, the interseptal spaces exhibit either transverse diaphragms
nearly a line distant from each othor, and turned upwards, or small
projections similar to those of C. Zenkeri but two or three times more
distant.

Locality and formation. ~ -Rama.' s Farm, near Port Colborne.
Collector.—^, Billings.

Chonophyllijm magnipicum. —i\r. Sp.

(See Plate I.)

Description.-Shovt, turbinate, expanding to the width of cix op
seven inches at a height of four inches and a half; upper surface
constituting a nearly flat circular disc, with a rounded cavity in the
middle, one inch and a half wide, from which radiate one hundred
and twenty.five depressed convex ridges ; the grooves between them

I' L A/r E I ,

Chonoi'hylll'm magnificum. — (Sen page IC

The large figure ia a view of the cui). Fig. a, vertical section of a portion nea:
surface of two of the raya a little enlarged. Fig. c, vortical section reduced to
Transverse section near the base.

LATE I.

JNiFicuM. — (Sen page IG.)

ical section of a portion near the side. Fig. h, portion of the
vertical section reduced to one-sixth natural size. Fitr. d.

narrow, a
gently cu
depth of t
zontal sec
them) reu
80 aa to
ridges, it
the pof!iti(
spaces. [
cessively i
forty in t\
wards bet
vexity of
the inters
diating ri
PI. I. /j.)

The on
seen, is iu
cular disc
exposed I
the surfac
individual
twenty-fiv
lines at t
the numbi
one. Th(
three incii
coral is es
quently it
in the len
length of
Most prol
curved.

This sp
is much h

Localit
pole.

CoUecti

THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OV CANADA WK8T.

narrow, and somewhat angular in the bottom. These ridges are
gently curved in crossing the broad flat margin of the cup. The
depth of the central cavity is iibout orje inch. A transverse or hori-
zontal section shews tiiat many of the septa (probably one-half of
them) reach the centre. In a vertical section, extending downwards,
80 as to cut off the outer extremities of a few of the radiating
ridges, it is shewn that the grooves on the floor of the cup indicate
the position of the septa, and that the ridges are the intorseptal
spaces. The structure, as exhibited in this section, consists of ex-
cessively thin, parallel, horizontal laminte (apparently from thirty to
forty in the thickness or' one line.) These laminie are arched up-
wards between the septa, the curve corresponding with the con-
vexity of the radiating ridges. In the lower part of the corallite,
the interseptal tissue is much coarser. The surfaces of the ra'
diating ridges appear to be covered with small tubercles. CSee
PI. I. fj.) ^

The only specimen of this truly magnificent coral that 1 have
seen, is imbedded in an upright position iu the rock, the broad cir-
cular disc of the cup (with the greater number of the rays well
exposed by the action of the weather) being just on a level with
the surface of the stratum. The width of the disc or cup in this
individual is six and a half inches ; and it exhibits one hundred and
twenty.five radiatiug ridges, which attain a breadth of about two
lines at the margin. It is highly probable that in other specimens
the number of rays may be a little less or greater than it is in this
one. The thicku-ss of the piece of rock iu which it is imbedded is
three inches ; and on the under surface a transverse section oi the
coral is exhibited, with a diameter of one inch and a half, and conse-
quently it expands from that size to a vidth of more than six inches
in the length of three inches. At this rate of tapering, the total
length of the perfect fossil must be about four inches and a half.
Most probably a small portion of the pointed base is more or less
curved. I have not seen the surface below the edge of the disc.

This species resembles Chomphylhim perfoliatum (Goldfuss), but
is much larger, and has double the number of radiating septa. '

Locality and formation.— Lot No. 1, con. 14, Township of Wal-
pole.

Collector. — J. De Cew.

l^Hm

HK nKVdMAN l-OSgll.B OK CANADA WEST.

BHA(ll'(>l»(»nA.

OmiiM LlNOrLA. — (lirut/itihe.)

Of this ueiuis, only one Hpecios Ims hccn found in the Devonian
rocks of (^anach West. Tiic sppcijnons arc too iinprrfcct for de-
srription,

STHKI'TORHYNCirS PaNDORA. N. Sp.

Fiic li

Plf.13.

Fl(r. 1-i. Sfreptorhynms Panrlom—Wc^f: of the dorsal valve.
Pin. 1!1 — Lo'ijtitudiiipl soc'tion.

Ih'scnpfinn. — Shell somioval. or snh-cjniiLlratc ; longtli ahout tiirce-
foiirths the width, hinge line equal to the greatest width of the shell,
somttimes a little less, usually forming a right angle witli the sides of
the cardinal extremities ; front margin broadly rounded. Ventral
valve depressed semiconical, most elevated at the beak, thence de-
scending with a slightly concave or nearly flat slope in all directions,
to the margin. Area of ventral valve, large triangular, extending tiie
whole length of the iiiuge line, sl()j)iug o'ltwards at an angle of ahout
lOC^. whh the plane of the lateral margin ; foramen triangular, very
conspicuous, its width at ])ase nearly twice the height, nearly or
altogether closed hv a convex (h^ltidiuiu. Horsal valve moderately
convex, gently compressed towards the curui));'! m\"\v'. ^iurface
with very narrow, strongly elevated, rarliatiug ridges, of which there
are from four to six in the .vidth of one line ; the i)icrease appears
to he both by bifurcation and interstitial addition, the latter mode
being the most common.

Width of a specimen of medium size, sixteen lines ; length of same,
from the beak of the ventral valve to the front margin, twelve lines ;
height of area of ventral valve at the beak, two lines and three-
fourths ; width of foramen at base, four lines and a half. Another
specimen is twenty lines wide and sixteen in length. Besides these,

THE DliVONIAiV FOSSILE OF CAN AT) V WK»T.

I
■•1

there nrc other impcrfeet spcriineiis f'rmti two inehes to two inches and
n half ill widtli, which I have no (hiiiht heion^ to the H{)e('ies.

The iiichnatioii o^ the area of the ventral vnlve, jiulginff from several
frai^nientM that I have examined, ttp[iear8 to vary oonsidcrahly.

This Hpeeies helongs to that group of the genus of whieh O. nmhrn-
ciihuii (Schlotlieim) is a eharaeteristie form. Mr. Davidscm has recently
placed the species of this typ« in tlie gems Sfrfpfor/ii/nrnt (King)
with the following remark: "The shells composing tliis biih-genns,
are closely related to Strophomena ; they are nsnally semicircular,
convex or concavo-convex, and externally striated ; the veiUral valve
possessing a prolonged and oftentimes hent or twisted !)eak." —
(Gkologist, March, 18(50 ) The species vary greatly in size and
form, and Mr. Davidson has, therefore, united under one name (S.
creniitiui) no less than twelve varieties, wliich have all l)een considered
to he distinct by various authors. Our fossil closelv resembles S.
crenutrin in external form, but differs in not having the radiating
striae crenulated, and further in the form of the occlusor nuiscular
impressions in the dorsal valve. According to Davidson's figure,
ihoro is a small process between the two ])ranches of the cardinal
process of the dorsal valve, which does not exist in ours. I shall give
some further illustrations of this species hereafter. It is only since
this article was sent to the press that I have procured specimens which
exhibit the interior o{ both valves.

Locality nml formation, — Lot No. (i, Con. 4, Townsend. Also at
Rama's farm, near Port Col borne, and near "Woodstock.

Collectors . — A. Murray, E. Billings and J. De Cew.

Orthis Livia. — N. Sp

PiK- 14.

Pig. In

Pig. le.

Fig. 14. Orihi» //ima.— Ventral valve. Pi^. 15.— Longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 16.— Dorsal valve

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Description. — Sub-orbicular or sub-quadrate ; length about eiglit-
ninths of the width ; greatest width, usually a little in front of the
middle ; length of hinge line, one half to two-thirds the widtli of the
shell ; cardinal extremities rounded ; sides in most specimens some-
what straight, often sufficiently curved to give a circular aspect to the
shell ; front angles ol)tusely rounded ; front margin in general broadly
convex, sometimes with a small space in the middle nearly straight.
Dorsal vialvj of a medium conve^xity, most elevated about the middle ;
the outline forming a uniform arch from the depressed beak to the
front margin ; the slope from the umbo towards the cardinal angles,
gently concave ; sometimes a barely perceptible mesial depression,
commencing in a point at the beak, and becoming obsolete at one hal^
or two-thirds the length ; area small, lying in the plane of the lateral
margins ; beak minute, forming a small triangular projection, rising
scarcely one-fourth of a line above the edge of the area, the point not
incurved over, but situated in the plane of the area. Ventral valve
moderately convex, most elevated at between one-fourth and one-third
the length from the beak, thence descending with a somewhat flat or
gently convex slope, to the front and sides, and with a more sudden
and somewhat concave slope to the hinge line and cardinal angles ; the
umbo small, proniinenl, neatly defined, terminating in a small rounded
beak, which is incurved so as to overhang the edge of the area, either
not at all or scarcely one-tenth of a line ; area triangular, about one-
fourth larger than that of the dorsal valve, forming an angle of about
105*^ with the plane of the lateral margin. The foramen not observed,
but appears to be wider than high. On looking at the dorsal valve in
a direction perpendicular to the plane of the shell, the small rounded
umbo of the ventral valve can be seen rising about one-third ( f a line
above the dorsal beak.

Surfiice with small sub-angular radiating ridges, of nearly a uniform
size, from eight to ten in the width of three lines, increasing by bifur-
cation, strongly curved outwards to the upper part of the sides and
cardinal angles, the intervening grooves sub-angular in the bottom, and
equal to the ridges in width. In very perfect specimens, very fine
concentric sub-lamellar concentric striae are visible, seven or eight to
one line. lu certain conditions of preservation also, the radiating
ridges are seen to be sub-tubular, ind exhibit numerous small oval
or circular openings on their edges, each about the eighth or tenth of
a line in width, and from one-fourth to two-thirds of a line distant
from each other.

Width
teen lines
area of v(
fifths of a
line, ten I
width. 1
touch a ]
the depth

In som(
mesial fob

This sp
It may b
Report of
possible tc
it as abovi

Localiti
Limestoni

Collectc

Fig. 17. OHhi

Orthis V

the link

This spe
ellipse, or
the width
its length i

It occur

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Width of largest specimen examined, eighteen lines ; length, six-
teen lines ; thickness or depth of both valves, seven lines ; height of
area of ventral valve at the beak, one line ; area of dorsal valve, four-
fifths of a line ; distance between the beaks, one line ; length of hinge-
line, ten lines. The most common size appears to be one inch in
width. The beak of the ventral valve is incurved, so that it would
touch a plane projected horizontally through the valve, at one-half
the depth of the cavity.

In some specimens the ventral valve has a faint, barely perceptible
mesial fold, extending from the umbo towards the front.

This species is allied to O. Vmiuxemi, but is more coarsely striated.
It may be identical with one of the other species described in the
Report of the Regents of the New York University, but as it is im-
possible to identify it with any of the descriptions, I propose to name
it as above.

Locality and forntafion. — Township of Walpole. Corniferous
Limestone.

Collector. — J. De Cew.

Orthis Vanuxemi. — (Hall.)

Fig. 17.

Fk. 18.

Fig. 10.

Fig. 17. Orthis Va)iu.vemi.—\e\\lr&\ valve. Fir,. IS.— Loii(titudinal s»iction of the same.

Fig. lit.— Dorsal aspect.

Orthis Yanuxemi. — Hall. Tenth A.uiw I Report of the Regents of
the Universiti/ of the State of New Fork, p. 135, 185;.

This species is closely allied to O. Lirta, but is more nearly a perfect
ellipse, ov more nearly circular, and has about tifteeu radiating strise in
the width of three lines. Its width is from nine to eighteen lines, and
its length about one-sixth or one-seventh less than its width.

It occurs in the Ilamiltou Shales, in the Township of Bosanquet.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

i Rhynconella Tethys. — iV. Sp.

Fig. 20. Fig. 21.

Figs. 20, 21.— Side views of the specimens of R. Tethys.

Fig. 22.
Fig. 22.— Front view.

Description. — In this species the body of the shell, excluding the
beaks, is transversel}'^ sub-oval ; from the beaks the sides diverge at an
angle of about 110°, and are nearly straight, or gently concave, for
about one-third the length of the shell, below which they are regularly
rounded ; front margin broadly rounded, nearly straight in the middle
for the width of the mesial fold. Oii a side view the outline is ob-
liquely sub-conical, the base obtusely rounded, the lower three-fourths
of the ventral valve straight, forming an angle of about 100° with the
ventral half of the base ; the dorsal contour gently arched, and the
dorsal half of the base rounded. The mesial sinus of the ventral valve
commences at about mid -length, and increases only slightly in depth,
until the front margin is reached, when the middle portion of the shell,
for the width of the sinus, is rather suddenly bent towards the dorsal
valve, with an abruptly rounded c>n've, and forms about three-fourths of
the depth of the base. There are five angular ribs in the sinus, their
extremities deeply forked to receive the projecting points of the grooves
between the ribs of the dorsal valve ; on each side of the sinus there
are six principal ribs, their extremities a little turned upwards ; above
these, three or four smaller ones«. The upper part of this valve is
narrowly convex, with a prominent umbo, and incurved beak ; in the
lower half, a little concave towards the lateral margins, owing to the
elevation of the extremities of the ribs. Dorsal valve with all the
central region depressed convex, the margin of the shell on each side
of the mesial fold in front abruptly bent towards the ventral valve ; the
umbo ol)ttise, divided along the middle for a short distance by a narrow,
barely perceptible depression, the beak strongly incurved under that
of the ventral valve. The mesial fold dies out at two-thirds the length,
the shell (of the fold) at the lower extremity bent towards the ventral
valve at an obtuse rounded angle, and extending about one-fourth across
the base. On the mesial fold there are six ribs, the middle four most

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

prominent ; on each side of the fold there are also six, their extremities
strongly curved towards the ventral valve.

I have seen no specin^ens with the true surface of the shell pre-
served.

Length of specimen upon which the above description is founded,
nine lines, greatest width at about one-third the length from the front,
ten lines ; depth of both valves at the front, six lines ; width of mesial
fold at front, five lines, and of the sinus, five lines and a half.

Judging from the appearance of several imperfect specimens, the
depth of both valves at the front must be very variable.

I have seen some small specimens from four to six lines in length,
with a beak nearly erect. These, I think, are the young of R. Tethys.

Locality and formation. — County of Ilaldimand. Corniferous Lime-
stone.

Collector — J. De Cew.

Rhynconella Medea. — N. Sp.

Description. — Oval or sub-triangular, body of shell, excluding the
beaks, transversely sub-elliptical; greatest width a little below the
middle ; apical angle, about 100'^ ; both valves rather convex. Ventral
valve with a neatly defined, rounded umbo, and closely incurved beak ;
a wide, shallow, concave, mesial sinus, which becomes obsolete at
about two-thirds the length from the fro..t. Dorsal valve, with a broad,
depressed, convex, mesial fold, extending two-thirds the length of the
shell, umbo rather prominent, obtusely rounded, beak incurved beneath
that of the ventral valve. Surface with between thirty and thirty-five
small sub-angular rlL on each valve ; ten on the mesial fold, and nine
in the sinus.

Length, eleven lines. Widtli, twelve lines. Depth, seven lines ;
width of sinus at front margin, six lines.

The specimen is a little distorted towards the front, so that all the
details of the outline cannot be given. The sides diverge from the
beak at an angle of about 100°, and are straight for half the length of
the shell. They then appear to be somewhat narrowly, but regularly,
curved round to the front, wliicli is also, I think, broadly rounded.

I/Jcalify and formation. — Township of Rainhaui, Concession 3,
Lot No. 2.

Collector. — J. De Cew.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Rhynconella Thalia.— iV. Sp.

Pig. 23. Fig. 24. Fig. 25.
Fig. 23. Rhynconella Thalia.— Tiorsa,\ view. Fig. 24.— Front view. Fig. 25.— Side view.

Description. — Shell small, apical angle varying from about 70°, in
very small specimens, to 105" in the large ones ; sides straight in the
upper half, regularly curved in the lower half ; front broadly rounded
with usually a portion in the middle straight, or even slightly con-
cave ; valves about equally convex. Ventral valve with a sinus which
gradually dies out at one half, or a little more, of the length from the
front ; beak acute, much elevated, slightly incurved ; three simple
acutely angular ribs in the mesial sinus, and six or seven on each side.
Dorsal valve a little more strongly convex than the ventral valve ;
the front of the mesial fold elevated so that on the side view the base
of the shell is a nea.ly s' -aight line almost at a right angle with the lower
part of the outline of ;he valve ; umbo rounded with a faint mesial
depression ; beak incurved into the cavity of the ventral valve ; sur-
face with four ribs on the fold, and si.K or seven on each side.

Length of the largest specimen examined, four lines ; width, four
and one-fourth lines ; depth, two and a half lines ; width of the sinus,
nearly two lines ; apical angle, lO'i**.

Another specinen is four lines wide, three and a half in length,
two in depth, sinus, two lines, and apical angle 105*'.

A third is two lines and three-fourths in length, and the same in
breadth ; depth, one line and three-fourths ; apical angle, 88°. The
sinus is distinct but not deep.

Specimens less than two lines in length exhibit scarcely a trace of
a sinus, and have the apex more acute than any of the above-men-
tioned.

This species closely resembles the ordinary Lower Silurian forms,
such as R. plena, and young individuals of R. increbeseens.

Locality and formation. — Near Woodstock. Corniferous Lime-
stone.

Collector. — A. Murray.

TMV: nKVOMAN |-()S«;iI,s 1)1. r'ANADA WKST

Rhyn<()nki,i,\ (!) \.\vn\. — X- Sfi

t
V

Fi)f. 2*!. Fiir. 27. pjg. 2S.

Fif?. '-7. Rhjinconella Laurn.—\)o\'^?i\ aspect. Fii. 27. Tlio siinu' ; ventral nspect.

Fipr. 2K. Side vipw.

Dp.fcn'ption. — Ovafc ; <j;roatest wldtli at ahont one-third of the
length from the front ; sides gently arched from the l)eak to the line
of tlie greatest widtii ; front angk's narrowly ronnded ; both valv ^
convex, sometimes rather gibbons. Ventral valve most elevated a little
above the middle ; umbo rather obtnsely rounded, not very prominent ;
beak short, obtuse, closely incurved, in contact with the umbo of dor-
sal valve : a broad mesial sinus which usually becomes obsolete at one
half the length, but can be sometimes traced nearly to the heak.
Dorsal valve with a mesial fold, corresponding with tlie sinu^ of the
ventral valve in length.

Surface with about seventeen rather large roixuded obscure slightly
elevated ribs, of which there are four or five in the mesial sinus, and
five or six on the mesial fold. A few squavuose rings of growth.

Length of large specimen twelve lines; width eleven lines. Another
individual from the same locality is nine lines long aiul ten wide.

Localifij aud formation, — Bosanquet. Hamilton Shales.

CoUecfom. — T. l^ichardson, A. Murray.

Genvs Athyris. — McCoy.

There is much differeuee of opinion as to the propriety of retaining
this generic name. It implies that the shells have no foramen in the
ventral valve, and yet many species are placed in the genus which bave
the beak distinctly perforated. Some paleontologists are, therefore,
in favor of using De Orbigny's appellation Sp'wigera, instead of
Athip'in. Nearly all of the Silurian species, and some of those from
the Devonian rocks, have the beak so strongly incurved, that no
foramen can be seen. For such, at least, the name Athyris docs not
apprav to he very inappropriate. Mr. Davidson still retain? it, not

THE DKVONIAN FO!»SlL.S OF CANADA WEST.

only for those which have the toramen coucealeil, but also for those
with it open. It appears probable that the genus will sooner or later
be sub-divided, and in that case Athyris inii;ht be retained for the
species with closely incurved beak, and Spiriyera for some of the
others. I shall give some account of the generic characters of this
group of shells in another article. The following species are placed
in the geinis provisionally.

Ai H\ Ris Clara . — X Sp.

Fig. 29.

Fit. 30,

Fill. ;».

Pif.'. ;{2.

Fig. 21). Alhyris C/f(i a.— Ventral view of larjie spci^iiiieii.

Fig. 80.— Dorsal view of tlie same.

Fig. ;u.— Side vimv.

Fig. 82.— Dorsal view of a smaller specimen.

Description. — Nearly suiootii, ovate or sub-riioniboidal, greatest
width, about the laiddK-, a sliort linguitorni prujection in the middle
cf the front inargiii, both valves convex, ventral valve tlie larger, with

of th(

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

its beak strongly incurved. Length from one to two inches ; width
equal to, a little less or a little greater than the length. The ordinary
size is about one inch and a half in length.

The ventral valve is strongly and smoothly convex, the outline ev( nlv
arched from bjak to front, more abruptly curved above than below^
the umbo prominent, the beak rather small, neatly rounded at the
sides, and closely incurved. The liuguiform projection in the middle
of the front i argin, is often a simple extension of a portion of the
shell, without a sinus, but occasionally there is either a short, shallov/
depression, or a narrow rounded mesial fold, which seldom, however*
extends towards the beak more than three or four lines. The upper
half of the dorsal valve is sometime evenly convex, but in general an
indistinct, more or less broadly rounded carination, can be traced from
the umbo along the middle to the front, where it becomes abruptly
elevated into a short, prominent, rounded fold, which extends into the
linguiform projection. On each side of the median line, this valve is
gently convex, and often exhibits a rather flat slope to the lateral
margins. The beak is strongly incurved, and appears to be deeply
buried in the cavity beneath the umbo of the ventral valve.

If a line be drawn across the shell at mid-length, and another at
one-fourth the length from the front, the greatest width m ill be found
to range between the two. Many of the specimens f^re obtusely
angular at the sides, and in such the margins above a?id below the
angles are somewhat straight, the upper two sides converging to the
beak, and the lower two to the linguiform extension ia front, giving
to the shell a rh'^mboidal instead of an ovate outline.

At lirst sight, the surface appears to be smooth, with a few ron-
centric squamose lines of growth. On closer examination, numeroas
indistinct, radiating lines, may be seen. Of these, there are from two
to four in the width of one line, and they sometimes appear to lie
beneath the surface of the shell. I very perfect specimens, the surface
exhibits tine concentrii' striae, from ten to fifteen in the width of one
line, and these are most distinct towards the front margin.

Beneath tho henk of the detached ventral valves, there is a wide,
triangular foramen, not visible when the valves are united. The inside
of the l)eak is entirely hollowed out into a deep pit or channel, which
opens directly into tlie cavity of the shell. Tlie impressions of the
divaricator muscles occupy part of a .sub-triangular space, the upper
angle of which is situated just where the excavation beneath the beak

THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

opens out into the visceral cavity. 1 he lower side of this space is
nearly straight, and the two lower angles rounded. The lateral margins
of the space are usually sub-parallel in the lower half, while in the
upper half they approach each other, and meet above to form the
upper angle. In some specimens the space is more nearly triangular,
and it would appear, therefore, that its form is a little variable. The
length of the space is about one-third the whole length of the ventral
valve, and its width at the lower margin a little less than its length.
The lower margin is situated a little above a line drawn across the
shell at mid-length. The lower three-fourths of the space is striated
longitudinally, and divided into two equal portions by an obscure
median groove.

On each side, at the base of the foramen, there is a short, stout
tooth. The dental plates below the teeth extend but a short distance
into the visceral cavity, when, becoming suddenly much diminished in
height, they form a low ridge along the upper margin of the muscular
space. The upper part of the muscular space is deeply excavated into
the substance of the shell, which is very thick and solid in the rostral
half.

I have not seen the interior of the dorsal valve.

Externally this species resembles A. tumida (Dalman,) but the
muscular impressions in the interior of the ventral valve are widely
different in the two species.

Locality and formation. — Rama's farm, near Port Colborue, and at
many places in the County of Haldimand. Cornifeious Limestone.
Specimens, with the valves united, are rare, but the upper part of the
ventral valve, with the umbo and beak preserved, is not uncommon.

Collectors. — A. Murray, J. De Cew, E. Billings.

Athyris Maia — N. Sp.

DescriptioH.— Smooth, ovate, or sub-rhomboidal. Ventral valve
strongly convex, most gibbous in the upper half; umbo prominent,
large, giving to the shell, on a side view, somewhat of the aspect of a
Pentatnen/s ; ])eak strongly incurved, but not touchiag the surface of
the dorsal valve ; a shallow, concave mesial sinus, exnnding from the
front all the way to the beak. Dorsal valve moderately convex, with
a convex mesial fold, which becomes obsolete near the beak. Length,
from one inch to one inch and a half. The proportional width is
variable. In some specimens it is exactly equal to the length, but in

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

others it is either a little greater or a little less. Greatest width,
about the iniddle, or a little in front of the middle, at which point the
rhonihoidal specimens are angular, but in the more oval forms, gently
convex.

Fig. 33.
Fig. 33. ALhyi'u J/«(((.— Dorsal aspect.

Fig. 34.
Fig. 34— Tlie same ; ventral aspect.

The following characters may he more particularly noted :
The umbo of the ventral valve is rather large and prominent, the
beak well defined, strongly incurved, but in general not in contact
with the umbo of the dorsal valve ; a short false area beneath the beak.
The mesial sinus is shallow, ev( ly rounded in the bottom, or some-
times with an indistinct fold along the middle. Its Avidth at the front
margin is somewhat variable, but is usually about five lines, and it
becomes gradually narrower and shallower upwards, but is more or
less distinctly visible quite to the beak. On a side view, the outline of
this valve ])resents a continuous curve, most abrupt in the upper half,
the greatest elevation being at about one-third the distance from the
beak to the extremity of the linguiform extension in front.

The dorsal valve has a smooth, rounded fold, extending almost to
the beak, but is otherwise pretty evenly convex. It appears to pos-
sess a straight hinge-line, the length of which is greater than half
the whole width of the shell ; the beak small, not much incurved.
The greatest convexity of this valve is about the middle, and on a
e-Je view the outline, in consequence of the elevation of the mesial
fold, continues at the same height, and somewhat parallel to the
lateral margin until it reaches the front.

The linguiform projection is sometimes considerably extended,
and the shell has then a rounded, rhomboidal form, but in other
specimens this part of the shell is truncated, and a fifth side, situated
in the front margin, is thus formed.

THK nKVONlAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WKST.

Ti»t> specimens that have come under my observation have in
gondral the same amount of convexit}, the depth of both valves
being in all about two-thirds the greatest width,

The surface is nearly smooth ; a few obscure concentric undula-
tions of growth and fine stride, — of the latter, twelve to fifteen in the
width of one line are visible on well preserved shells. There are
also faint indications of longitudinal radiating lines. A. fragment
of one individual of this species exhibits a surface uniformly marked
with fine rounded concentric undulations (not striae), of which there
are four of five in the width of one line.

This species has, to some extent, the aspect of a Pentamerus ;
but it^ internal structure, as exhibited in the numerous broken
specimens that I have examined, shews it to be congeneric with
//. Clara. It differs from that species in having the mesial fold and
sinus extending the whole length of the shell, and the beak of the
ventral valve not touching the umbo of the dorsal valve.

Locality oiid formation.— -St. Mary's, Township of Blanshard.
Corniferous.

Collectors.— Mr. W. G. Tomkins, C.E., St. Mary's, C. W. ; A.
Murray; J. Richardson.

Athyris (?) SciTULA. — (Hall.)

Atrypa sniTULA. — Hall. GfMogy of the Fourth District of the
State of New York, p. 171, fig. 1.

Fig. 37.

FiK.35. Pig. 36. Fig. 38.

Figs. 35 to 38.— Difforeiit views of a small and large specimen of A. soitula.

The above figures represent different views of two specimens of a
species which appears to me to be identical with that figured in the
work above cited. It varies greatly in size. The length of the

TOE DEVONIAN lOSRII.fs OK CAWnA WKST.

largc't specimen that I linvc seen is seventeen lines, the "-icatest
width fourteen lines, depth eight Mnes. The smallest is «l»ont two
Hi es ill length, and many of intermediate sizes have heen ohserved to
make out tlie series. It is not certain that th!" species heloiigs to
the genus Athijrift.

Local if ij (iiiH formation. — (!ouuty of Haldimand. (lornifernu.s
Limestone.

Cof/erfom.—,]. De Cew, E. Dc Cew.

Athyris (?) Clusia. — N. Sp.

Di^scnption. — Elongate oval ; greatest width at about one-fourth
the len'^h from the front margin ; sides diverging at an angle of
about 7i>" and somewhat straight, or gently convex, for rather more
than half the length ; front angles rounded ; front margin nearly
straight, or gently convex. Both valves depressed convex, smooth in
the upper half, the front margin with four or five wide shallow con-
cave indistinct folds or grooves which become obsolete at less than
half the length. Beak of ventral valve erect, apparently a little
incurved at the tip.

Length five lines ; greatest width at one-fourth the length from the
front margin, three lines ; depth of both valves at one-third the
length from the beak, one line and one-fourth.

The above description is founded on a single small specimen. I
have seen a fragment of another that must have been, when perfect,
seven lines in length, and I am inclined to think that the one de-
scribed is a young individual of the species.

This species differs from A. scituJa, principally in being proportion-
ally mtich flatter, and in having the front margin undulated by several
obscure folds.

Lnca/ih/ aiir/ fonnafiov. — Lot No. 45, Con. 1, Cayuga. Corni-
ferous.

Collector.— i. De Cew.

Athy .IS (?) uNisuLCATA. — (Courad.)

Atryi'a unisvlcata. — Conrad. Annual Repoit Geological f^.vrvey,
New York. 1841, p. .^fi.

Rhynconklla UNisuiXATA. — IIall. Tenth Annual Report of the
Regents of the University of thr State of New York. 18,57, p. 125.

IHK DCVO.NIAN FOb>;ir.S OF CANADA WKST.

I'iK- •|)».

FlK. 40.

Fig. 41.

Fig. 30. Athyns unisiilcntii — Vf'iitral viow.
Fig. 41.— Vii-w of fi'oiit iiiiVDriii.

Fig. 42,

FiK. 40.— TIk' siiiiii", dorsal asj/t'ct.
Fi(t. 't'i. — .'^itl<! vif\v,»

Description — Slirll (HiatlriluttMal or suh-triaiigulur ; tircatest width
near t\w front Miar<:ln ; sidos nearly straight from the beak to the line
of the greatest width, wliere there is a proniineiU angk- on each side
of the siiell, thence eonverging and nearly straiglit to the middle of
the front margin. Dorsal valve with a mesial fold whieh oecupiea the
whole of the shell exce|>t a snudl nortion on each side in tlie upper
half; the slope from the ridge of the foid to the sides usuj^'iy gently
concave. In some specimens a single strongly im])ressed groove along
the ridge of the mesial fold. The ventral valve has a deep mesial
sinus equal to its whole width ; a small strip of the margin between
the beaks and the point of the greatest width inflected at a right angle
or thereabout towards the dorsal valve. The beak is incurved over
the umbo of the dorsal valve, but its tip not quite in contact with the
surface of the dorsal shell. The surface is nearly smooth, a few ob-
scure concentric undulations, and, in some specimens, indications of
line radiating strite visible.

Length of large .■specimen, nine lines ; width, eleven lines.

This species varies greatly in form. Some have the front margin
nearly straight, and are thus almost triangular. Others are quadran-
gular or rhomboidal from the great ])rojection in the middle of the
front margin. The sinus of the dorsal valve is sometimes so shallow

♦ These figures are not very Rood, but as they will serve o give an approximate idea of the
form of one of the varieties, I have thought it be.st to use them.

THE DEVONIAN F088IL8 OF CANADA WK8T.

that the valve has the appearance of a flat space along the middle.
The groove on the ridge of the dorsal valve either extends to the
front margin of tlic shell, or dies out at a greater or less distance from
the heak.

The length of the shell ranges from two to nine lines, and is
always a little less than the width.

Locality and formation.— County of Ilaldimand. Corniferous
Limestone. Not common.

Oollectora.—J . De Cew, E. De Cew, and E. Billings.

AtHYRIS (?) KOSTRATA. — (Hall.)

Atrypa rostrata. — Hall. Geology of the Fourth District of New
York, page 202, fig. 2.

PtR. 43. FiK .44.
Figs. 43, 44. Athyris roBtrata—Dox'^X and side views.

Description.— Won^^Aic oval, both valves evenly convex and smooth.
Ventral valve the larger, most ventricose in the upper half ; beak
proportionally large, sub-cyhndrlcal, incurved, not in contact with
the umbo of dorsal valve, apparently perforated by a large foramen.
Dorsal valve smaller than the ventral, but proportionally as strongly
convex, umbo rather broadly rounded, beak incurved and deeply
buried ])eneath that of the ventral valve.

Length about six lines ; greatest width a little in front of the mid-
dle of the ventral valve, five lines ; depth of both valves a little above
the middle, three lines and a half.

The surface at first sight appears to be quite smooth, but upon a
closer examination it will be found tc exhibit some fine obscure con-
centric rings of growth.

This neat little fossil is smaller and proportionally broader, and
more ventricose than A. scitula.

Locality mid formation.— hoi 2(i, con. 3, Bosanquet. Hamilton
Shales.

Collectors. — A. Murray and J. Richardson.

34 THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Athyris (?) Chloe.— iV. Sp.

Fig. 45. Fig. 46. Fig. 47.

Fi},'. 48. Athyris adoe—YentraX valve. Fig. 46.— Side view.

Fig, 47 —Dorsal view.

Description.— Tr&nsxersely sub-oval ; greatest width usually about
the middle, sometimes a little above or below ; front margin often
mth a rounded projecting lobe in the middle ; both valves convex.
Ventral valve with a concave mesial sinus which occasions a lingui-
form projection in the middle of the front margin, and becomes
obsolete at about half the length of the shell ; umbo well defined ;
beak closely incurved down to the umbo of the dorsal valve, usually,
if not always, perforated at the tip by a small circular aperture.
Dorsal valve vith a rounded mesial fold which elevates the middle of
the front mFfgin and becomes obsolete at about half the length.

Surface with somewhat obscure rounded but apparently much de-
pressed, simple or undivided radiating ribs, of which there are on an
average in the specimens examined, three in the width of one line.
There are also, especially towards the front margin, a few squamose
rings of growth. There appear to be some fine concentric striae, but
the surface in the specimens is not quite perfect.

Width, from five to nine lines ; length, a little variable, according
to the greater or less developement of the mesial fold.

In one specimen with the fold large, the length is seven lines to a
width of nine lines.

In this species I have detected no appearance of an area, but in
perfect specimens the hinge-line is exteaded to three-fourths the
width of the shell, and in such cases the {^ardiual angles, although
rounded, are elevated and much compressed.

Locality and formation.— Lot No. 20, con, 3, Ilosanquet. Hamil-
ton Shales.

Collectors.— A. Murray, J. Richardson.

As the nomenclature of the important and widely-distributed genus
Athyris is somewhat confused, it seems advisable to give, in this
place, a short account of the leading points of its history. Professor
McCoy was the first to separate the species, of which this genus is

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

composed, from Terebratula, Atrypa, Spirifera, and other genera to
which they had been previously referred. His original description
was published in the " Synopsis of the Carboniferous Fossils of
Ireland," in 1844. From this work we shall make the following ex-
tracts : —

" The family DelthyridcB appears to be divided into the five following genera :
1 Spinfera, Sos»r., composed of those longitudinally-ribbed species, in which
the hinge-line is equal to, or exceeds the width of the shell, the cardinal area
with parallel sides, the cardinal teeth of the ventral valve (now called the dor-
sal valve) large, spirally rolled, and having a triangular foramen beneath the
beak of the dorsal (ventral) valve. 2. 3Iartinia, I^lcCoy, or the smooth Spiri-
fers, in which the hinge-line is less than the width of the shell, and the cardinal
area triangular. 3. Athyris, McCoy, in which there is no vestige of either fora-
men, cardinal area, or hinge-line. This remarkable genus is frequently con-
founded with those shells usually named Terebratula, in the older rocks, but is
distinguished by the large, spiral appendages, which are wanting in the other
group. 4. Brachythyris, McCoy, in which we find the longitudinally-ribbed
surface of Splrife'ra, united with the short hinge-line of Marti7iia. 5. Orthis,
Dal., in which there are no spiral appendages, the hinge-line and strire frequently
spinose (as in Leptwna), and the cardinal area common to both valves, and its
sides inclined towards each other at its angles ; dorsal valve smallest."— Work
cited, page 128.

On page 146 of the same work, he thus concisely describes the
genus : —

«' Gen. (7A.— Nearly orbicular, small ; no cardinal area or hinge-line ; spiral
appendages very large, filling the greater part of the shell.

" This very interesting group possesses all the external characters of the
Terebratulidce, united to the internal structure of the Spirifers, to which latter
family it truly belongs. Professor Phillips is the only author who has recog-
nized the group : ho forms of it his last division of the genus Spirifcra, but gives
no characters to distinguish it from Terebratula; the internal structure is, how-
ever, a sure guide."

The above descriptions include all the more comprehensive and
important characters, or those which connect the species together into
one group by general affinities pervading the whole. In this respect
nothing more has been done for this genus since 1844, although
several minor and highly interesting points of the internal arrange-
ments, such as the complicated structure of the spires and the form
of the muscular impressions, have l)eeu ascertained by other authors ;
(especially by Messrs. Davidson, Bouchard, and Suess.)

McCoy was under the impression that all of the species were desti-

ill'

THE DbVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

tute of an aperture in the ventral valve, but it now turns out that
many of them have a small circular perforation in the beak. Some
are 'therefore disposed to reject the name Athyris (which means
« without a door ;" or, "deltidium," as Mr. Woodward construes it)
altogether as inappropriate ; and accordingly D'Orbigny, in 1847, re-
described the genus under the name of Spirigera. His description is
in substance the same as that of McCoy, but more in detail, and,
with the additional character, that the ventral valve is truncated at
the beak by a circular orifice.* This would exclude more than half
the species' that he placed in his genus; as all those which belong to
the group tyi)ified by A. tumida, A. Ceres, A. passer, &c., have^the
beak entire.' With respect to this part of the shell, therefore, D'Or-
])igny's definition is cpiite as defective as McCoy's.

In 1851, Professor Suess, of Vienn , proposed the name of Merista
for some of these shells, but did not define his genus nor give the
names of any species to be included in it.f

In 1852, McCoy, in the 2nd Fasciculus of the " British Palaeozoic
Fossils," page 196, re-defined Athyris as follows :—

" Oen. 67t.— -Nearly orbicular or ovate, both valves convex ; no cardinal area,
foramen,' or hinge-line ; spiral appendages to beak of entering valve very large,
nearly filling the shell ; a strong mesial septum in the rostral part of entering
valve ; dental lamella; moderate ; tissue of shell apparently fibrous.

" One specimen [of A. tumida] sh ws the pallial and ovarian impressions to
be thick, numerous, aud dichotomising frequently from beak to margin.''

Afterwards, in 1354, Suess objected to the term Athyris being ap-
plied to such species as A. tmnida, on the ground that it was origin-
ally used to include Spirigera concentrica, S. lamellosa, and other
similarly organized forms.J He therefore proposed to suppress
Athyris altogether, substituting Spirigera for those with the beak
perforate, and his own genus Merista for the others with entire beak,
or mesial septum in the dorsal valve and a shoe-lifter process in the
ventral. It is quite certain now, however, that some of those with a
non-perforate beak have no shoe-lifter process, and cannot be included

in Merista.

In Davidson's " Introduction, on the Classification of the Brachio-
poda," Spirigera is retained for those with the beak perforate, and no

* Pah'uHtolotjie Franqaise, vol. iv. page 357.

t Jahrbuch iler K. K. Geologisclien Reichanstalt, Vienna, ii. pt. 4, pp. 150, 160. 1851.
1 This is tak."i'. frnsn a note by Mr. Davidsons on pairo 4 of the Appendix to hia British
Oolitic and Liasio Brachiopoda.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

mesial septum in the dorsal valve, (type S. concentrka,) and Athyns
for those of which A, tumida is the typical form. This is the mi-st
just arrangement of the difficulty that has yet heen proposed, and has
been adopted by F. Rcemer in the last edition of Bronn's " Lethaa

Geognostica."

Mr. Woodward in the " Manual of the Mollusca," adopts Athyris
in the wide sense as intended by McCoy, but admits Merista as a
sub-genus for those with a shoe-lifter process.

In the New York Reports, the species of this genus, until within
the last four or five vears, have been placed in the genus Atrypa.

In the tenth annual report of the Regents of the University of the
State of New York, published in 1857, Professor Hall describes six
species from the Upper Silurian rocks, under the genus Merista, and
one from the Hamilton group, under Spirigera. This latter, which
he calls Spirigera spiri/eroides, is considered by many authors to be
identical with S. concentrka.

In the Geology of Iowa, dated 1858, he describes three species
from the carboniferous rocks of the Western States, und^r Athyris.
These appear to be perfectly congeneric with aS^.^ eonccntrica, or,
S. spiriferoides as he calls it.

In the twelfth Annual Report of the Regents, dated 15th March,
1859, published October, 1859, he proposes a new generic name
(Camarium,) for those with a shoe-lifter process. This genus la
identical with Merista.

In the thirteenth Annual Report of the Regents, published January
18G1, Professor Hall abandons his genus Camarium, finding it to be
identical with Merista, and then for those shells which have Athyris
tumida for the type he proposes a new name, Meristella.

Some of the European authors, such as Pictet and Sandberger,
retain Spirigera, and in his recent highly instructive papers in the
" Geologist," Mr. Davidson places all the species under Athyris, but
says that sub-genera may be admitted provided they be founded on
good and sufficient distinctive characters.

It is not necessary to extend this Ust of references to the opinions
of palaeontologists. Sufficient appears in the above to shew that the
nomenclature of this genus is in a state of confusion. I think the
best way of getting out of the difficulty, is to fall back upon the
arrangement propose^ by Mr. Davidson in his Introduction.

1 McCo"'s spvii.il definitions should be construed literally or

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CAN^.DA WEST.

according to his intended meaning, aad confined to such species as
have the beak imperforate, and usually a mesial septum in the dorsal
valve. For these the name Athyris is perfectly proper and involve
no contradiction whatever. The type of this group would be Athyris
tumida, as given by Davidson in his Introduction.

2. D'Orbigny's definition also literally, and it would include all
the species with perforated beaks which have Spirigera concentrica
for the type. The mesial septum in the dorsal valve in this genus is
either rudimentary or entirely absent.

3. the' genus Athyris being limited as above, two sub-genera
might be subtracted from it, that is to say, iV/erw^a— Suess, and
Nu cleosp ira — Hall .

According to Professor Hall's recent proposals, Spirigera must be
suppressed, and Athyris made to take its place. This would leave
the first of the above groups without a name, and thus his genus
Meristella woidd be accommodated.

The following figures represent some of the internal characters of
the above mentioned genera :

Fig. 48.

Fig. 49.

Fig. 50.
JD.— divaricator impressions

Fig.48.— yl^/tj/m ^Mmida.—Dalman.— Interior of vnntral valve

O.— occlusor impressions. T.— teeth.
Fig. 49.— Interior of ventral valve of Athyris Clara —Billings.
Fig. ZQ—Atliyns Clara, interior of dorsal valve.

In the interior of the ventral valve of A. tumida, Fig. 48, the two
elongate oval scars which indicate the place of the attachment of the
divaricator muscles or those whose function it was to open the valves,
are situated side by side about the centre of the shell. Above, or
partly between, is the small heart-shaped scar of the occlusor, the
muscle that served to close the valves. Beneath the beak is seen the
wide triangular foramen which, in consequence of the close incurvation
of the beak is always completely closed. This foramen is a different

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

thing from the small circular aperture which occurs in the point of the
beak of Spirigera. On each side is a short stout tooth, beneath which
a strong nearly vertical septum extends a short way towards the front
These two septa are the dental-plates. Fig. 49 shews the form of the
muscular impressions in A. Clara. At first sight they appear to be
widely different from those of A. tumida, but this is owing to the
greater thickness of the shell in the upper half of the ventral valve of
this species. Since this species was described in this Journal, in May
last, I have ascertained that the same variations in the form of the
muscular impressions occur in the genus Spirifera. In the thick-
shelled species it is deeply excavated, and is represented on the cast of
the interior by an abrupt prominence, longitudinally or diagonally

striated.

In the thin-shelled species it is superficial, and presents a different
appearance. There are other variations in the form of the scars in
the ventral valve not represented in the above figures. Sometimes they
extend nearly to the front of the shell, as is the case in an undescribed
species from Anticosti, and in a Corniferous species of which I have
some fragments.

In the dorsal valve, fig. .50, there is a horizontal plate (the hinge-
plate) just beneath the beak, with a triangular depression in the
middle, from which a thin vertical septum extends about one -half the
length of the shell. On each side of the central depression the hinge-
plate of the specimen fi?;ured shows two short, slender, spine-like pro-
jections, these are simply .he bases of the spiral arms, which were
here attached to the anterior edge of the plate. At the extremities
of the hinge-plate are two small pits,— the sockets for the reception of
the teeth of the opposite valve. The occlusor muscular impressions
are four in number, and elongate oval, the anterior pair about the
middle of the shell, and the posterior pair between the anterior and
the beak.

Fig. 48 is copied from Mr. Davidson's paper in the " Geologist,"
Vol. I., Plate 12. Figs. 49 and .50 are from specimens in the collec-
tion of the Geological Survey.

In the sub-genus Merisfa the dental plates are connected by a
peculiar arched plate, resembling a shoe-lifter, hence its name,— the
shoe-lifter process or septum. (See fig. .53). In the species on which
Prof. Hull founded his genus, Cuniarium, and also in some of the
European forms, it extends from the beak downwards half the length

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

of the valve, and the dental plates are partly supported by it. I
think this process is an abnormal form of the pseudo-deltidium, that
occurs in some of tha Spirifers.

In all of the genera, Spirifera, Cyrtia, Spiriferina, Suessia,
Cyrtinu, Athyris, Spiriyera, Merista, Nuchospira, and Uncites, the
spiral appendages have the apices of the cones which they form
directed outwards, < v Is the sides of the shell, as represented in
the following figure, 5..,

Fig. 51.

Fipr. 52. Fig. ">'5-

Fig. 51. Interior of Athyria (Spirigcira) ambiijua, sliowiui,' the disposition of tlio si)iral

appendaKu 1. Copied from Davidson— (Oco/oi^is/, Vol, III. Plato 1.
Fig. 52. Interior of ventral valve of Spirifi.ra concentrica shewing the muscular impres-
sions and the eirc'.lar aperture in the beak.
Fig. 53. Interior of ventral valve of Merista IlorctUea (Barraude),a Bohemian spocie.s, S.—
the shoe-hfter jirocess. D.— the divarieator muscular impressions.

It will be seen on examining fig. .51 closely, that the first coils of the
spiral appendages are connected on the dorsal side by a transverse l)ar,
from which an upright jtrocess springs, sloping upwards slightly
towards the beak, and giving off two half coils,— one on each side. It

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

is yet to be ascertained in how many species this complicated structure
prevails. We may expect to find by continued search in our Canadian
rocks, specimens wl ich will enable us to make out the structure of
these peculiar organs in such species as we have. As yet, I have only
seen five or six specimens of A. Clara and A. Maia in which the spires
could be seen, but none are sufficiently perfect to exhibit the details.

In Mr. Davidson's earlier writings, the muscle called the " Divar-
iCATOr" in this article, is styled the "Retractor," while the "Oc-
CLUSOR " is designated the " Adductor." But in his recent papers
in the Geologist he uses both. It appears that the new names,
" Divaricator " and " Retractor," were devised by Mr. Hancock.

I shall hereafter, from time to time, as materials are collected,
publish in this Journal such other particulars of the structure of
these interesting genera as may seem to be of importance.

Of this genus, Spirigera, we have, as yet, clearly recognized only
one species in Canada, l)ut it is. in the opinion of ?ome good palaeon-
tologists, identical with the famous 5. concentrica, the type of *he
group. Three species, described in May last in this Journal, which
have the beak perforated, may possibly belong to Spirigera, and
would have been so referred, but at that time I lutd not made up my
mind what course to take with regard to the sub-divisions of Athyris,
The three species in question are not yet generically determined, and
I have therefore marked them doubtful thus : Athi/ris (J) scilula,
Athyris {?) rosfrafa and Athyris (?) Chloe.

Spirigera concentrica. — (Bronn, Sp.)

Terebratula concentrica. —Bronn, 1829. Atrypa + Spiri-
gera + Athyris concentrica,— of the generality of authors.
Spirigera Spirifkroides, Hall.— T6^«^/« Annual Report of the
Regents of the University of tie State of ^'civ York, p. lo3. 1857.

FiK. 64.
Pig. 04L Spirigera concentrica — Oji-.*:.! vii w.

Fit?. 55.
Fif? 55. The same— Veiitral view.

THE DKVONIAN FOSSILS OF CVNADA WEST.

"11

FiK. 57.

Fig. 56.

'fl'

Fig. .W.- Side view. , , „ ^

Yig, 57. -Dorsal view of a specimen with u truncated Iront margin.

2)..cr^>^/o« .-Transversely sub-oval ; greatest width about the middle
or a little above ; the front margia sometimes extended mto a short,
broadlv-rounded linguifo t projection, and sometimes nearly straight,
or even a little concave for about one-third the width. Both valves
moderately convex ; the ventral valve usually with a shallow mesial
sinus, or depression, which becomes obsolete befor^ reaching the beak ;
dorsal valve with a broad slightly elevated mesial fold. Beak and
umbo of ventral valve of moderate size, the former incurved and
perforated at the point by a circular aperture. The umbo of the
dorsal valve is small and neatly rounded, the beak buried beneath that
of the opposite valve. Surface marked by sharp concentric ndges
which are son.etime. so greatly developed as to cover the whole shell
with thin overlapping scale-like plates.

Length from nine to fifteen lines ; width a little greater than the

length.

Thiswi" known fossil ha. a very wide geographical distribution,
being found in the Devonian rocks of Russia, Germany, France. Spain,
England, and Americc.

It varies a good deal in form, according to the sediment in which
it is found. Where the shell is thin, the middle of the front margin
is straight r,r concave, as in Fig. 57 ; but the thi^ck-shelled mdi-
viduals have the front margin more or less pointed. Some thmk
>ur species different from the European form ; but others, such as
De Verneuil, Roemer, Lyell, Sharpe. and others, who have compared
specimens from both sides of the Atlantic, ha-e pronounced them to
be identical.

Locality and formatior I -Occnrs in the CorniferouD Limestones

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEKl .

the Township of Cayuga, and in the Hamilton Shales at variouB
places in the Township of Bosanquet.

Collectors.— X. Murray, T. Richardson, J. De Cew.

GenuH Retzia. — (King.)
Retzia.— King. Monoyruph of the Permian Fossils of England,

p. 137. 1850.
Retzia.— Woodward. Manual of the Mollusca, p. 224.

Generic characters.— The species of this genus are in general
smaller than those of Athyris or Spirigera. The form is ovate or
Bub-glohular ; the ventral valve the largest, with an elevated beak,
which is perforated at the tip by a small circular aperture ; a small
flat area beneath t}ie beak. In some species there is a shallow mesial
fold and sinus, or more usually two or three of the ribs in the middle
smaller than the others. The surface is covered with radiating ribs,
as in Rhynconella. The internal characters are not yet well known,
but it is certain that the spiral appendages have their apices turned
outwards, as in Spirigera. The shell structure is punctate.

Retzia differs from Spirigera in being strongly ribbed, smaller, the
beal. of the central valve erect, or nearly so, and in having a small
flat area beneath the rostral aperture.

Rhynchospira,—l\t\\ does not appear to me to differ from Ritzia.
The genus is said to range from the Silurian up to the Permian.

Dedicated (by King) to the celebrated naturalist Betsius.

Retzia Eugenia. — N. Sp.

Fib'. 58.

Fig. 68.-2Je<^ia Eugenia, a, b, c, dorsal, side, and ventral viow8 of a specimen ; d, a smaUer

specimen-dorsal view.

Description.— SheW small, sub-globular, with from ten to twelve
strong angular ribs on each valve. Ventral valve convex, most pro-
minent on the upper half, a slight mesial depression the width of
three or four of the ribs in the lower half; beak elevated, incurved,
-but not in contact with the umbo of the dorsal valve, perforated at

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA. WEST.

the point ; a flat, solid deltidium or area beneath the aperture. Dor-
sal valve rather stronjrly and iinifonnly convex, most prominent along
the middle, where slight indications of a mesial fold are evident ;
umbo small, rounded ; beak buried beneath the lower edge of the
deltidium or area of the ventral valve.

Length of the largest specimen seen, six lines ; width about the
same, or slightly less than the length ; elevation of the beak of the
ventral valve above the umbo of the dorsal valve, half a line.

We have one small specimen three lines in length, which appears to
belon"- to this species. In form it is rather more elongate-oval, and
not so convex as the larger specimens.

Closely allied tr lictzia glohosa {Trematospira globosa), Hall, but
in that species when there are any indications of mesial fold d
depression, it consists of one, two, or three ribs, which are smaller
than the others, and do not reach the beak. It may be that specimens
will be found connecting the two species, but at present I think it
best to keep them separate.

Locality and For mat ion.— hot No. 5, Con. 4, Township of Walpole.

Collector. — The only specimens I have seen were collected by J.
De Cew.

Genus Spirifera. — Sowerby.

Si'iRiFER. — Of the t]enerality of Authors.

Generic characters.— lYiwyQ-WwQ straight and either greatly elonga-
ted, or cqiuxl to, or less than the width of the shell ; the general form,
triangular, quadrate, oval, or .sub-circular. The ventral valve the
largest, with a flat or concave area varying greatly in its dimensions ;
a triangular foramen beneath the beak, usual » ?n but sometimes
partially closed by an arched plate called a delti.uam or pseudo-delti-
dium. Area of dorsal valve smaller than that of the ventral valve.
Surface either ornamented with radiating ribs, or finely striated, or
smooth. In the interior the spiral cones have their apices turned
outwards as in Spiriffera, but they are destitute of the complicated
appendages of this last-named genus. The muscular impressions are
somewhat similar in their general form and relative position to those
of Athyris, but subject to great variation according to the species.
Shell structure not punctat.^d.

THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

This genus ranges from the Lower Silurian up to the Trias. In
Canada we have found no species below the Clinton group.

A great many species of this genus have been described as occurring
in the Devonian rocks of the United States ; and in Canada West
there are apparently fifteen or twenty, but owing to the imperfection
of the specimens, several of these must remain for a while undeter-
mined.

Spirifkka MiicaoNATA. — (Conrad.)

Delthyris MiTCRONATUS.— (Conrad.) Annual Report, of the
Geological Survey of New York, 1841, f) .')4. Hall, Geology of
New York, part 4. 1843, p. 198.

F'g. 59.

¥iit. r,0.

Pin. «1.

FiR. 62.

Pig. 19 Spirifera mvcronau. ".■utral view. Fi«. 60. Side view. Fijr. r.l. Do, sal view.
Viit.iai. A long-wiiiited variety of tlic same species.

Description.— T\\h species varies froni tlie somi-circuliir to the sub-
triangular lorn.. 1.1 general th. hinge line i.s twice, and sometimes
thricethel ngtaof thealKll; the cardinal angles acute, the side
either straight or gently rounded and coineiging to the front margin,
which is either straight or concave, and of the width of the mesial
fold. The valves are moderately convex ; the ventral more tumid
than the dorsal ; the mesial fold and sinus are rounded, and extend
quite to the beaks ; from fi"teen to twenty not very prominent ribs on
each side. The area of the ventral valve is very narrow, in the
largest specimens scarcely more than half a line in height ; the beak
small, pointed and incurved over the area, but not in contact with the

40 THR DKVONIAN lOHSILS OK CANADA WEST.

umbo of the dorsal valve, a sjiaei. of one-fourth to one-half of n line
intervening. Area of dorsal .alve sub-linear or about one-tlnrd the
height of that of the ventral valve. The whole surface, in well
preserved specimens, is covered with zigzag concentric imbricating
BtriiE, from two to four in the width of one line.

Width on the hinge-line from mie to two inches, usually one inch
and a half. Length from beak to iront from eight to twelve lines.

Localihj and Fonnation.—lUmWtou Group. Townships of Plymp-
ton and Bosanquet. Also found loose, or in boulders in the drift in
numerous localities in the extreme western Counties of the Provinces.

Co//<?c^or«.— A. MuTay. J. Richardson. AlsofromW. B. Wells,
Esq., Judge CO. Chatham, C. W.

Spirifera varicosa.— (Hall.)

Spirifer varicosus.— (Hall.) Tenth Annual Report of the Regents

of the University of the State of New York, 1857, p- 125.
Spirifer submucronatus or stjbattenuatus + S. inutilis.—

(Hall.) Geology of Iowa.

The species above quoted are all closely allied to eat'i other, and
also to S. mucronata. They differ from the latter in being in general
a little smaller, and in having the umbo and beak of the ventral valve
more prominent— the area of the same valve being consequently

larger.

In the cornileroud limestone numerous fragments and single valves
have been collected, which most probably belong to S. varicosa, or to
one or both of the others. I have referred them all to the former
for the present provisionally not being able to decide whether they
are or are not identical u. rewith. At all events they must be most
closely aUied species.

Some of them have the mesial sinus regularly concave, while in
others it is divided by an obscure ridge along the middle. The mesial
fold on the dorsal valve is sometimes marked by a central groove, but
often it is entire. The individuals thus marked should probably be
T^en&di to S. bimesialis. (Hall.) Geol.Iowa.

The following figures represent a specimen from the Comiferous,
near Woodstock, with the length greatly less than the width and no
median rib in the sinus.

THK nr.VONlAN KOSi-I

1,8 OP CANADA V/RRT.

FiK. 03.

Flu. 04.

This only differs from 5. mucronah in the larger area of the ven-
tral valve, as shewn in Fig. GO. and from S. bimesialis hy the ahsetice
of the median rib in the sinus, and no groove on the mesial fold.

I do not pretend to decide that the above all belo- to one species,
or that they should be all referred to S. varicosa. T.ure are numerous
species of brachiopoda described by Pro " Hall and others, withou
figures or measurements, which never ear. recognized or identified
except by the persons who have the o. /inal specimens m their

possession.

Spirifera duodenauia.— (Hall.)

Delthyr.s DXK>DENARiA.~Hall. Geology of the m District of
New York, p. 17. Fiff. 5. 1843.

Fig. 65.

Fig. Ofl.

Fig. 07.

Kg. 66. Spiu.KKRX nroDKHARU.-(HaU.) Dorsal vieN. of a lar«o specimen.
Pig. 66. Slv w. th.; .'.arrow area and the close approiimation of the beaks.
Fig. 67. Dorsiil view.

Description -This species is disiinguished by its smooth rounded
ribs The form is sub-semicircular or sub-triangular ; the hmge-line
straight extended, equal to the greatest width of the shell ; both
valves moderately convex ; the dorsal valve usually flattened or
concave near the cardinal extremity ; the are-s very narrow ; beaks
Bmall, short, pointed, incurved, nearly in contact with each other.
From twelve to fourteen strong rounded ribs, gradually decreasing in

TDE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Is , '•'

size from the middle of the shell outwards, the grooves between them
rounded. Surface usually smooth, but when well preserved, with
fine concentric striae. The mesial sinus is represented by the middle
furrow of the ventral valve, and the fold by the middle rib of the

dorsal.

The ordinary width of this species is ten or twelve lines on the
hinge line, but some are sixteen lines. In a specimen of this latter
size the area of the dorsal valve is scarcely half a line high, and that
of the ventral valve two-thirds of a line. The former lies nearly in
the plane of the margins of the shell, while the latter slopes a little
outwards. The beak of the ventral valve is incurved so as to project
a little over the plane of the area, and its point is within half a line
of the umbo of the dorsal valve.

This species may be easily distinguished from S. mucronata and S.
varicom, by the form of the ribs, which are round instead of angular,
twice the size of those of the other species, and separated by rounded
grooves. The mesial groove or sinus is only slightly larger and more
conspicuous than those next it on ach side.

Locality and For mat ion. —Rm s Farm near Port Colborne. Near
Woodstock.

Collectors. — A. Murray, E. Billings,

Spirifeua umbriata. — (Conrad.)

Mvi iiYKi.s FiMBiJiATA.— Conrad. Journal of the Aca.lemy of Nat-
u, ,/' Sciences of Pliladclphiit, Vol. VIII , p. 263.

Fig. CS

PiK. ti^ Sy.irifera fimbriata.—QonxwX. Dorsal view.
Fij?. fit- VcMilral view.

PiK- 70.
Fig. ("9. Side view.

De-o-rijififw. — Transvi'rs !y oval ; hini';c line shorter than the great-
est \\ li\\ of the sliell ; cardinal angles roundel ; mesial fold and sinus
moiitratdv rounded; from three to right obscuiv rihs on each side;

width froi
width.

The do

or not at

lying nea

extremiti(

projecting

ing quite

angles, ai

beak wit

elevated,

Ventra

in a side

pointed,

line, sloj

plane of

broad, a

The mes

point of

the dors

Surfai

shallow

the rid§

gated tv

Local

Rama's

Also ill

specimt

Colle

Delte

Scie)

Dklth
oft)

Ddst

equal t

;th fi

'"' \V ■!»'^-':™-P«aa'"'?"5^'?**SB-Mr^ *»■■" *»«'■■;

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

width from nine to eighteen Unes ; length a little more than half the

"" The dorsal valve is mode .tely and pretty uniformly convex, gently
or not at all depressed towards the cardinal angles ; area, sub-lmear.
lying nearly in the plane of the lateral margins, not reachmg the
Extremities of the hinge line; beak, small pointed, scarcely at all
projecting over the area ; mesial fold, rounded, not promment, extend-
Lg quite to the point of the beak ; usually a large space at the cardinal
angles, and extending thence along the hinge line to the sides of the
beak without ribs ; the latter in general obscure, rounded not much
elevated, and becoming obsolete before reaching the hinge Ime.

Ventral valve rather strongly convex in the upper half, the outline
in a side view forming about one quarter of a sphere ; the beak small,
pointed, and incurved over the area ; the latter shorter than the hinge
line, sloping outwards at an angle of about 115<^ at its base with the
plane of the lateral margin., above rather strongly incurved ; foramen
Lad, and with a sharp ridge on each side, not al.^ys preserved
The mesial sinus is rounded or sub-angular, and ex ends quite to the
point of the beak ; a smooth space at the cardinal extremities as m

the dorsal valve.

Surface of the perfect specimens beautifully ornamented with
shallow rounded concentric furrows, from three to four in two lines,
the ridges between the furrows having from five to eight small elon-
gated tubercles in the width of one line.

Locality and Formation.-Occnr. in the Corniferous Limestone at
Ramas l4rm, and at n.any places in the County of Ilaldimand^
Also in the Hamilton Shales in the Township of Bosanquet. Good
specimens rare.

Collectors.-3. DeCew, E. Billings, A. Murray.

Si'iniFERA RARicosTA.— (Conrad.)

Delthvhis HARicosTA.-Conrad. '^---'^if ^f/^f f'^^^^^^^t
Sciences ofPhHadelphia^oX. VIII., p. 2G2. iH. 14, fig. 18. 1839.

Dklthvris .NDCTL^TUS.-Vanuxcn.. Geoloyyof the Third District
of the State of New York, p. I'i2, fig. 3. 1842.
D..c,.>«.,«— Sab-qu,tdr.ae, sub-semicircular or oval ; hinge-line

equal to the greatest width or the shell or a httle less ; dorsal valve

w' h five, and'ventral valve with six, large rounded or sub-angul^ nbs ;

THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

ri!

Fife. 71.

Fip. 72.

Fitf. 73.

Fiir. 71. Sf)irifet-a raricosfa.—Conrtid. Dorsal view. Fiff. 72. Side view.
FiR. 73. Ventral view ot a sppciraen with tlie shell exfoliated.

length of iuU grown individuals about one inch ; width equal to or a
little greater than the length.

The dorsal valve is most convex in the middle and more or less
flattened or concave towards the cardinal angles ; the area narrow
sub-linear ; the beak small pointed and together with the area strongly
incurved over the hinge Hne ; the middle rib corresponding to the
mesial fold of an ordinary Spirifera is usually very prominent,
rounded or sometimes a little flattened on the top ; its width at the
front margin, in a specimen fourteen lines wide, is about five lines, and
it is well defined and prominent ail the way to the point of the beak ;
the ribs next to it on each side, also reach the beak, but the two outer
ribs become obsolete on approaching the hinge-line.

The ventral valve is most gibbous in the upper half, the umbo
rather small but prominent, and the cardinal angles not flattened.
The area is somewhat variable in its dimensions ; and cannot be seen
when the shell has been coinpre.'^sod ; in largo perfect specimens it is
two lines high at the beak and half a line at the cardinal angles, and
slopes outward at one angle of about 100" at its base, but is more or
less arched towards the dorsal valve, so that its general direction is
more nearly in the plane of the lateral margins. The beak is small
pointed, always incurved over the area ; the mesial furrows and four
of the ribs extend quite to the point of the beak ; the mesial furrow
in all the specimens that I have seen is broadly rounded, while the
lateral furrows are somewhat angular in the bottom.

The surface is usually covered with small lamellose, somewhat
rough ridges of growth ; but in the more perfect specimens with fine
imbricating concentric lines, of which there are from four to eight in
one line ; all of these are undulated upwards in crossing the ribs.

tsggByjj™""'

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

The specimens vary in form from oval (those with a short hinge^
line^ to sub-quadrate or sub-semicircular. , -. i ^

Th° spedes i, easily recognised evea in fragment, by .t, large
rounded ribs. When partially exfoliated the nbs sometimes exhiW
C one to three large roanded knobby prominences. In general,

however, thev are smooth. , i„^„a

Zamj la For».a«on.-Near Port Colbome. and vanous places

in the County of Haldimand.

tlUctorl-K. Murray. J. DeCew. L JeCew. E. Bdl.ngs.

Spirifera gregaria.— (Clapp.)
Spikifer GREGARiA.-Hall. Tenth Annual Report of the Regent,
of the University of New York, p. 127, 1857.

FiR. 74.

Fig. 75. Fig. 76.

Fig. 74. Spirifcra ,r..ari.,-Dorsal view. Fig. 75. The same-Side view.
^ FiR. 76. Ventral view.

B„m>,«<.».-Shell semi-oval or sub-globular, varying greatly in
the amount of the convexity. Hinge-line straight equal to the
*,a.cr«idth of the shell; cardinal -gles sometimes round^^

Ventral valve very convex, strongly and ""'f°™'V t deen I'ult
to front the outline sometimes forming a semi-circle ; a deep angular
lria";inus extending from the front to the beak, on each side of
"h h there arc from ^even to nine ribs. Umbo very much elevated
beak strongly incurved ; area concave, next to the hinge-hne inclinmg
outards at an angle of 4.^° to the plane of the lateral margin, but
Ccsuddenry arched over the hinge-line by the »'-? 'J/X
of the beak. Dorsal valve convex, «ith a strong 7™> J"'^ 3'
»mewhat angular or a little flattened along the ridge, or b cur^y
marked »i.h an indistinct groove; seven to mne f » ™ ;»* ™^
.urface. often nearly smooth but sometimes marked " * concci^rio
rigzag lines. Width about three-fourths of an inch ; length varying
from a little less to a little more than the width

In very convex specimens the umbo ot the ventral ^al^e

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OP CANAP4 WEST.

greatly developed that it rises above the hinge-line to a height equal
to nearly one-half the length of the whole valve. Sometimes the
beak of the ventral valve is incurved down nearly to the dorsal umbo,
but in general there is a space of about half a line intervening.

Locality and formation.— ThiB species has been found rather com-
mon on lot 43, concession 2, township of Middleton, in the Cornifer-
ous Limestone. According to Prof. Hall, it occurs "in the limestone
of the Upper Ileldenberg, (Onondaga and Corniferous) rarely in
Eastern New York, common in Genesee and Erie counties, and in
Ohio and Kentucky, in the same geological position."

I am indebted to Dr. B. F. Shumand for specimens from the Falls
of the Ohio for comparison. These are more convex than any of
ours, but of about the same size.

Collector. — J. De Cew.

SpiRiFERA Parryana. — Hall.

Spirtfer PARRYANus.-(Hall.) Geoloffy of Iowa, Vol. I., pase

509. Plat( 4, fig 8 «, 6. ^ *

Fifr. 77. Fij,. 78.

Fip. n.ZSpirifera ,')arrya«a.-Dorsal view. Fi(?. 7S. Side view of the same.

X><?*cr/>^w«.— Transversely sub-elliptical or sub-quadrate ; cardinal
angles generally rounded ; sides aud front an-lcs rounded ; front mar-
gm somewhat straight or a little concave for about one-third he
width m the middle. Both valves rather strongly convex, giving a
sub-globose form to the whole shell ; mesial fold and sinus rounded,
and extending to the beaks. Area of ventral valve somewhat arcuate,
and forming an angle of about 4.s° to the plane of the lateral margins,
ourface witli about eighteen flat, rounded ribs, separated by grooves
one-fourth the width of the ribs ; mesial fold and sinus not ribbed.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

53:

.1
r

Width from one inch and a half to two inches. Length about five-

b/iths of the width.

Locality and formation.— ho^Vi e, Mill, township of Bosanquet,

Hamilton Shale?.

Collector. —T^it only specimen found was collected by C. Robb,

Esq., C. E.

SpIRIFERA SCULITILIB? — (Hall.)

Fig. 79.

The above figure represents an imperfect ventral valve (found by
Mr. Robb along with S. Parryanus,) which appears to be identi^jal
with the species figured by Hall in the Geology of N:!W York, Vol.
ly., p. 202, under the name of S. sculptilis.

Genus Cyrtia. — (Dalman.)

Generic Characters.— ^\id\ semi-circular or triangular; ventral
valve extremely prominent and of a pyramidal shape ; area large,
usually incurved ; foramen extending quite to the beak, closed except
a small aperture near the beak by a convex deltidium. Dorsal valve
flat or only moderately convex. The internal characters do not
appear to differ greatly from those of Spirifera.

The shells of this genus are smaller in general than Spirifera, and
the species are closely allied to each other.

Cyrtina is another genus exactly resembling Cyrtia in shape, but
with the interior of the ventral valve divided by a mesial septum,
which supports near the foramen a triangular chamber as in Pcnta-

merus.

Not having seen the interior of the two following species, I leave
them in the genus Cyrtia where they have been hitherto placed.

Cyrtia IIamiltonensis — (Hall.)

Cyrtia IIamiltonensis.— Hall. Tenth Annual Report of the Re-
gents of the University of the State of New York, p. IGG. 1 S57.
Description.--" Shell '^ore or less oblicpiely triangular, pyramidal :

hinge equalling the greatest breadth, and obtusely (or acutely) an-

I liii.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Fig. 80.

Pig. 81.

Fig. 82.

Fig. 80.— Ctetia Hamiltonensis.— Hall. "Ventral view.
Fig. 81.— Side view.

Fig. 82.— Dorsal view. (The perforation nnt shewn near the beak in the figure, but exiats
in the specimen.)

gular at the extremities ; dorsal valve depressed, nearly flat ; beak
scarcely elevated above the hinge-line ; mesial fold small, bounded on
each side by deeper and wider grooves thai; those between the plica-
tions, with sometimes a faint, narrow, longitudinal depression in the
middle ; ventral valve very convex, most prominent near the beak,
which is very variable in elevation, and either straight or a little
arched from the hinge, sometimes twisted on one side ; sinus distinct,
rounded or angular ; area variable, triangular, generally high, often
wider than high, arcuate or plane, finely striate in both ways, the
vertical .striae scarcely visible ; foramen very narrow, usually perforate
above by an ovate aperture, and has at its base a small transverse
arcuate slit. Surface ornamented by six to eight simple rounded
plications on each side of the mesial fold and sinus, and marked by
very fine concentric lines of growth. Under a good lens, minute
granules may be seen on all parts of the exterior except the area and
deltidium : interior minutely punctate."— (/^a//. Tenth Regents'
Report, above cited.)

Our specimens agree so exactly with the above description, that
there can be no doubt of the identity of the species.

Locality and formation. -Townships of Bosanquet and Plympton.
Hamilton shales.

Collectors. ~k. Murray, J. Richardson, E. Billings.

Cyrtia kostrata. — (Hall.)

A species of Gyrtia occurs in the Corniferous Limestone, onlj
differing from C. Hamiltonensis in having the ribs larger and the
surface marked with concentric imbricating lamellae, instead of fine
strise. The only perfect specimen I have seen has five ribs on each
side of the mesial fold and sinus. It is referred to G. rostrata pro-
visionally.

Localitj/ and formation. — Lot 45. Con. 1. Cavue-a.

Collector, — J. De Cew.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WFST

Genus Atrypa. — (Dalman.)
SpirigeRINA.— D'Orbigny.

Generic e/m/-ac<e/-«.-Shell circular, ovate or sub-qaadrate. Ven-
tral valve with a small closely incurved or sometimes elevated beak.
Surfa-e smooth, striated, or with small ribs, and often strongly
marked with concentric squan.ose lines of growth. Shell structure
fibrous impuuctate. The spiral appendages are placed with their
bases flat upon the inner surface of the ventral valve, and their apices
directed into the hollow of th. dorsal valve. In the interior of the
ventral valve, the divaricator muscular scars occupy a Urge ova
space in the upper half ; the occlusor a much s.ndler circular or oval
space near the beak, and inserted, as it were, between the others on
rostral side In the dorsal valve the occlusors are tour in number
near the beak, two on each side of an obscure median ridge.

In fig. 83, a specimen of J. reticu-
laris is represented lying on the ventral
valve, the dorsal valve upjjcrmost, show-
ing the position of the internal spires.

The figure is taken from " Sandl)erger's

Atlas."

Fi,'. 83.

Atrypa reticularis. — (Lmn.)
Atrypa reticular.s.-O/ the yenerality of Authors.
Atrypa iMPRKSSA.-lIall. Tenth Annual Report of th' Repents of
the University of Neiv York, p. 122.

>S;iiiv\ifc.

■^Mma

FiK. SI. l-'ig- 85-

Fijs. %i.— Atrypa retictdaris.—Tioxs,\\ view
FiL>. 8i( and 87.— .\ spccinu'U with coarso ribs

Fig. 80.

Fig sr..- Sill.' vitnv.

Fig. 87.

l)escription.-'\\n^ speci.s is variable in form (as are all that range
through a number of formations). Specimens the si/.r of those above
figured are ovate ; length a little greater than the breadth ; sometimes
both valves nearly equally convex, but in general the ventral valve is
convex in the middle portion of the upper two-thirds, flattened to-^

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

wards the sides, and with a broad shallow mesial depression towards
the front. The dorsal valve is in general strongly convex ; the hinge
extremities rounded. The umbo and beak of the ventral valve are
small, the latter sometimes a little elevated, but in general closely in-
curved.

Large specimens, twice the size of those above figured, are not un-
common in the Corniferous limestone. These are more elongate oval,
or sometimes, owing to the wide straight hinge-line and projecting car-
dinal extremities, the form is sub-triangular.

The surface is covered with small radiating ribs, usually two or
three in the width of one line. These are crossed by undulating con-
centric lines of growth, which give to the ribs a nodose or rugged aspect.
In large specimens from the Devonian rocks of the Hudson Bay
Company's Territory, the strise are much finer, there being four or
five in one line. In others they are much stronger. The shell when
partially exfoliated, exhibits a whitish silken or pearly lustre. Indi-
viduals are sometimes found with the surface around the front margin
covered with imbricating concentric lamellae. Length usually about
one inch or a little less, sometimes three inches.

Locality and Formation. — This species ranges from the base of
Middle Silurian to the Devonian, and is found in most countries
where these rocks have been recognized. In Canada West it occurs
in numerous localities in the Clinton, Niagara, Oriskany, Corniferous,
and Hamilton formations.

Genus Stricklandia. — (Billings.)

Stricklandia. — (Billings.) Canadian Naturalist and Geologist,

Vol. 4, p. 132, April, ISfiQ.
RENssELiKRiA. — (ILiU.) part. Ttvelfth annual Report of the Regents

of the State of New York, p. 39, October 1859.

Generic Characters. — Shell, usually large, elongate-oval, transversely
oval, or circular, sometimes compressed ; valves nearly equal ; a short
mesial septum in the interior ot the ventral valve, supporting a small
triangular chamber beneath the beak as in Peniamerus ; in the dorsal
valve no longitudhial septa spires or loop yet observed ; the whole
of the internal solid organs, (so far as is yet known) consisting of two
very short or rudimentary socket plates, which support prolonged
calcified processes for the support of the cirrated arras. In all the

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WIST.

specie, known, the ventral valve .,» »n area n,ore ov le» acvcloped.

that in the dorsal ^alvc tue ™" " ,„,„„,„,■ ,h,. vr.lve, aio united
,ei„g prolongea ahont t^-th,.^^.^^^^^^^^^

:;r xi':;;;o:i:;: .r ;!„ L. .;•. -™',;xr ?;

U will he found that S(,-,eW»»,/i» has a »,„u a,- loo,,. In Ue,.«eUna
^'-}'''^"'-f^,t'IZ'''l^''^»C^^^ closely related ,0

f:;'' U tta .1 Hffercnce hct«ecu .ho short or rnd.men.ary
be thought tliat 11k uraii ,.i„n<r.itcil mesial senla of

soeket-,,lat™ of ,>rM,»M.., »"' . " „ .Jffi:! importalrce to
Pe„,u,.,erm should not he regarded as o snthc e ^^^

eonstitute a generic distinc.ron, because t.o ^J^ ^,. ,,^

extent to which identical parts are dc clop nc^^ oc
former genus hciag a rudnucntary ^«^^J^^ ,„j- „;, „,, ,re
« examine any , roup o. ^"^'^.f^ ^ ^,^,,,^or,s of the

grounds for -l'-'";:™ t,™* ,,' degree of the development
same set of organs. Fht il.ttu.ncc b ^^

of an organ is not always a good charaecn, ™ .^ ^

such an extent that the who e forn. o '•',.■■ „,..„ it heeomes

particular n.anucr. '^^^'^^^^J^::^ er :«,■../,/»„</;» and
of generic value. If we taUthLSOt.ai i ,^ f„

eo„n,are then, with '>-;-''';->-,;"T 5° ,, . ' c,,,oW,.<».. P-
--T' T Stol-:: extend ;;,,; of the two groups is
'"'■'; :i ;: ttTZu ahnost be warranted in separatmg .hem

:;:!;s:::lt:"Xd!iutr::..ctnessoftheseparat.o„.

-'r .

TlIK DKVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

i' it

""}c following figures exhibit the difference between the generic
forma of Stricklandia and Feniamerus.

Fig. 8S. FiS- 89. i'iB- 00.

FiR. %9,.—Stricklandia lens, dorsal view.

Fit?. 89. The same sido viuw, shewing that the valves are nearly equal in size.
Fig. 00.— PrtudamcrMS Knightli, sido view sliewing the great dillerencc in the size of the
valves.

This genus ranges from the Middle Silurian up to the Devonian.
It includes three English species long known under the names of
Pentamerus lens, P. Urafus, and P. loevh: In Canada we have
these three in the Clinton group at Anticosii, and also StricUandia
Ga^pensis, (Niagara group) Gaspe, S. Canadensis (Clinton group)
Thorold, C. W., S. hreois, perhaps a variety of the latter (Clinton)
Antieosti. StricUandia elongata is the only species known to me in
the Devonian rocks.

Stricklandia elongata. (Vanuxem.)

Pentamerus elongatus.— (Vanuxem.) Geology of the Third
District of the State of New York, p. 132. 1842.

Pentamerus elongatus.— (Hall.) Geology of the Fourth District
of the State of New York, No. 34, Fig. 1.

Meganteris elongatus.— (Hall.) Tenth Annual Report of the
Regents of the University of the State of New York, p. 123.

1857.

Renssel^ria elongata.— (Hall.) Twelfth Annual Report of the

Regents (f the University of the State of New York, p. 38.

October, 18.59.

Description, — Elongate-oval, somewhat variable in form, the sides

convex, as in the above figure, or nearly straight and parallel, and in

the latter case the front truncated or nearly straight. Valves varying

in the amount of their convexity, sometimes nearly cvlindricix. .bove

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF C\NAD\ WEST.

■pig. 92.

Fii;. 01.
Fig. ,1. StrirJclnn.ua clouonta.-mnn.orn.) Dorsal view of a specimen of a .uovo n.-arly

oval .sl,a ■ tl.au "^"^^l- ^^^ ^^^.u trian^ubr chu.nbt-. boneath

Fig. 92. The (.amu, interior of vciitran aivc, siibwh'b

the beak.

and compn-sscd towards the front; the vontnd valve in general the
„"o;t r, vex, obtuselv earinatod fron, the beak along the muld e u
le n .er h If; the dorsal vahe in the «p,,er half often mueh flattene
Id i oadly carinated in the middle, sometnnes even y convex. In
™nv ,peei mens the .id=s are ahrnptly con,,,ressed so that r. transverse
Te "ion throngh both valves vvonld be somewhat hexagonal n. o, time
¥h beak of he ventral valve >s closely incurved over the nmbo o
the dorsal valve. Surface smooth but usually ..th several rongl
concentric imbricating ridges of gro»th most strongly developed

'T!;h'?ro:to to three or even four inches, .icUh fron, one

•■^^rsr^ettltlrrtiahle species, many of the speei^^^^^^

Th.s »PI'«»' Y „ , „,,i,e others are elongate-oval or snl.-

bemg somewha ^ '^ " ;^;^. j.„^„.„,„, ^„„,, „i,„„nt the interme-

dS™;. the :;"::: might .eadiU. he classiHed as distinct spce.es.
The specimens are seldom found perfect.

THE nt:V<)NIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Lonilifij find Foni'iition.—M most localities of tlio Devonian rocka
in the Cdunty of Ilaldiiiiatid, Oriskany Sandstone, and Corniferous
Livncstone.

Co//ef,7w«. -E. D Cow. .T. DcCcw. K.Billings.

Gdius Pkntamkuus. — (Sowerijy.)
Generic l)e,scrij)(i(iii.—ii\\v\\, {>;lobnlar or snb-globnlar, the ventral
valve the Ir.i-or, and usually with a prominent, greatly developed
umbo. A strong mesial septum in the interior of the ventral valve,
supporting: a triauirnlar ehamber beneath the beak. " In the interior
of the smaller (or dorsal valve) there are two distinet longitudinal
septa, of variable dimensions ; (between which a small median ridge
is occasionaly found), to these the socket walls converge and join,
forming two more or less developed and inclined plates, to the produced
extremities of which were affixed the s]nn\\ cirrated arms." (P.vvid-
son, Introduction, p. 08.)

This genus ranges from the base of the Trenton Limestone up to
the carboniferous rocks.

Pentameuus aratus. — (Conrad.)
Atrvpa arata and Atuvpa octocostata. — (Conrad.) Annual

lieport on the Pulaontnlofjy of New York, p. o.i, 1811.
Pkntamicri'S aratus, — (Hall.) Tenth Annual lieport of the Re-
gents of the University of the State of Neio York, p. 120, 1857.

Fia;. 93. l''K- '•"'•

Fiir. 03.— P<?Hi'a/'iO-ns arainn. Dorsal view of a veiy lari-'c siiofinicu.
Fif,'. 91— Side view ol tlic siiino spmnicn.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Description.-~-Si\\(A\, varying greatly in size and shape, ovate or
sub-triangulav, very convex or irregnlarly sub-globular. In large
specimens tbe ventral-valve is very convex, with an exceedingly promi-
nent and tutnid umbo ; the outline on a side-view is strongly arched
from the beak to the front, the most rapid curvature being in the
upper half; the beak is incurved, but not in contact with the umbo
of tilt uorsal valve ; a broad shallow mesial sinus originates at the
front margin and becomes narrnwir and shallower, until, at length, it
dies out before reaching the beak ; in a front view tiie outline is sub-
triangular. In small specimens the umbo and beak are proportionally
much smaller, the form more nearly oval or nearly circular, and the
mesial sinus occasionally obsolete. The dorsal valve is much the
smaller, depressed convex, with a broad, slightly elevated mesial fold '
on each side of which the shell is usually a little flattened, or even
slightly concave ; the mesial fold sometimes not at nil developed.
The surface is covered with coarse, nnequal, sub -angular, or obscurely-
rounded ribs, from one line to one line and a half in width. These
ribs increase in number from tlu; beak towards the front, both by
sub-division and the insertion of smaller ones between the larger. On
each side of the beak there i- t smooth space.

The only difference between this species and the well-known Pen-
tamerus galeatns appears to be that, in the latter, the mesial sinus
is on the dorsal and the fold upon the ventral vaive.

In the following figures a small specimen is represented.

Fig. 93.

Fijj. 96.

Locality and Fontiat/o)), — This species occurs in the Oriskany
Sandstone, and Corn^ferou^= Limestone, in various places in the County
of Haldimaud.

Collectors.~J . DeCew. E. "OeCew. E. Billings.

Wh ,

162

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Gemis Centronella. — (Billings.)

Centronella. — Billings. Canadian NaturaUst and Geologist,
Vol. IV., p. 131. April, 18."i9.

Generic characters. — Shells, having the general form of Terehrahila.
Dorsal valve with a loop consisting of two delicate riband-like lamellee,
which extend about one-half the length of the shell. These lamellae
at first curve gently out -.vards, and then approach each other gradually,
until at their lower extremities they meet at an acute angle ; then
becoming united they are reflected Ijackwards towards the beak, in
what appears to be a thin, flat, vertical plate. Near their orig-n each
bears upju the ventral side a single triangular crural process.

This genus appears to stand between Terehratula and Waldheimia.
In the former, the loop is short, not exceeding greatly one-third the
length of the shell, and not reflected. h\ the latter, it extends nearly
to the front, and is reflected, but the laminae are not united until they
are folded back.

ti;

Centronella glans-fagea. — (Hall.)

Rhyncon klla glans-fagea. — Hall. Tenth A nnual liepc ^-t of the
Regents of the University of the State of New York, p 125. 1857

a h tL

Pig. !>7.

Pig. cfj,— Centronella glans-far/ea. T'lrcc viows of a specimen of the usual size. These
figures are too much rounded at the sides.

Description.^SheW smooth, ovate or suh-rhomboidal, greatest
width about tbe middle, from which point the sides are nearly straight
in the upper half, and converge to the beak at an angle of about 85° ;
front half rounded, sometimes with a sinus in the front margin.
Vent-al valve the larger, its outline forming a nearly regular arch
from the beak to the front margin, strongly aad broadly sub-carinate
along the middle in the larger individuals, more uniformly convex in
the small ones ; beak long, strongly incurved over the dorsal valve,
but not in contact therewith. Dorsal valve nearly flat, with a wide,
shallow, mesial sinus, which, in some si)eciniens, occupies nearly the
whole width of the shell, but 'a others it is almost obsolete, and the

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OP CANADA "WEST.

Valve is then nearly flat. Length from two to three lines, width
about the same.

The above description applies to the more common form of this
species. Larger individuals from six to eight lines in length are
occasionully found, but they do not scein to be so numerous as the
smaller ones. In these, tiie dorsal valve is divided along the middle
by a narrow, rounded sinus, which extends from the front nearly to
the beak ; on each side the shell is convex, sometimes rather strongly
tumid. The ventral valve broadly < arinate along the middle. The
following figures represent the 1; ^'est specimens that I have seen in
different views.

Fig. 98.

Centronella tumida ?

Tliere are some intermediate sizes, but not sufficient to make out a
series connecting these large individuals with the smaller. Should
these constitute a dist' ict species, I propose to call it C. timida.

Locality and formation. — Oriskany Sandstone and Corniferous
Limestone, County of Haldimand. Also at Rama's Parm, near Port
Colborne.

Collectors. — J. De Cevv, E. De Cew, E. Billings.

Centronella IIecat". — N, Sp.

Centronella Hecate. — a. A specimen with
the dorsal valve removed, shewing the loop,
which is covered with minute crystals of
silex. (/. Ventral view of another specimen.
c. side view, d. dorsal view.

Description. — Elongate, oval, or sub-rhomboidal ; apical angle from
45° to GO"^ ; sides somewhat straight from the beak to about the mid-
dle, where, making a rounded angle, they converge towards the front
margin, which is somewhat truncate for about one-third the width.
Ventral valve strongly but broadly carinate I'rom the beak along the
middle to the front, descending with a flat or gently convex slope to

Fig. 99.

THE DF.V0N1AN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Fig. 100.

the sides; in outline only gently arched longitudinally; in som
specimens nearly straight ; the heak small, elongated, erect, and wit i
a triangular foramen. Dorsal valve gently convex in the upper half,
and with a wide shallow sinus in the lower half. Surface smooth.
Length from two to four lines ; width ahout three-thirds the Icr.gth.

Localiiy and formation. — Oriskany Sandstone and Corniferous
Limestone, County of Haldimand.

Collector. — J. De Cew.

Charionella Circe. — iV^. Sp.

Charionella Circe. — The first
figure exhibits a specimen with the
dorsal valve partly removed, shewing
the internal spires. The other two
figures are a side and ventral view of
another specimen.

Description. — Elongate vate, greatest width a little below the mid-
length, above which the sides converge with a nearly straight or
gently convex curve to the beak ; apical angle between GO* and 75'' ;
front half rounded, sometimes slightly truncate in the middle of the
front margin. Both valves moderately and ever' . convex. Ventral
valve evenly arched from beak to front ; beak incurved, but not in
coniact with the dorsal umbo, truncated by a circular aperture
which is formed below by a deltidium ; the sides of the umbo very
obtusely sub-angidar for rbout one-sixth of the length of the shell.
Dorsal valve not quite so convex as the ventral, most prominent a
httle above the mid-length ; the umbo moderately prominent ; the
shell narrowed and somewhat pointed towards the beak. Surface
nearly smooth.

Length of specimen of average size— eight lines ; width six lines ;
depth of both valves, four lines ; ditferonee between the length of
dorsal and ventral valves, three-fourths of a line.

Associated with the above, are s{)ecimens of about the same length,
which arc proportionally broader, and with a shallow, mesial sinus
extending from the front margin of the ventral valve nearly to the
beak. The sides of the umbo or cardinal slopes are more angular,
and the ' -sik more ])roniinent. The front margin, instead of being
lounded, is straight, or even a little concave in the middle. These

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

m^y belong to the same species, but more specimens are required to
determine this point.

Locality and /ormation.^CormfeTom Limestone, County of Haldi-
mand.

Collector. — J. De Cew.

Fig. 101.

Fig. 102.

Refnarks on the genus Charionella.
A siUcified fragment of the dorsal valve of C. Circe a
little enlarged, shewing the absence of a regular hinge-
plate.

A fragment of the ventral valve of 0, scitula ? shewing
the deltidium and muscular impressions in part.

By treating partially silicifiod specimens of this genus
with acids, I have ascertained that the structure of the
hinge-plate differs from that of Spirigera in b. vag either
obsolete along the middle or anchylosed to the bottom of the valve.
In Athyris = (Meristella, Hall) there is a well developed hinge-plate,
supported beneath by a strong mesial septum, which extends some-
times nearly to the front of the valve. In Charionella there is either
no mesial septum, or, one that is merely rudimentary. In one
specimen there is a remarkable partition, which runs obliquely from
near the beak to the margin near the front. It completely dii-ides
the internal cavity into two parts. This I believe to be not a mesial
septum, but a temporary wall formed by disc^ase of the animal, be-
cause loth spires are crowded into the smaller of the two cavities*
the larger being empty.

It is probable that further researches will bring to light other char-
acters of the hinge-plate in other species, and I do not therefore con-
fine the genus to such as have this organ constructed exactly as in
C, Circe and C. scitula.

The species figured by De Vemeuil under the names of Terebratula,
Schuhii, T. Bordii, and T. mucronata, in the Bulletin of the Geolo-
gical Society of France, 2nd Series, Vol. VII., Plate 3., rr.ve the
asp:;ct of this genus, and exhibit the same structure of the beak,
foramen and deltidium of the ventral valve, and most probe.bly have
the same internal organization.

Genus Strophomena. — (Rafincsque.)
Strophomena. — (Rafinesque.) De Blaiuville. Manuel de Mala-
cologie, p. 513, PI. 53, fig. 2, 2a, 1825. Davidson. Introduction
to the Classification of the Brachiupoda. p. i06.

iwl!

• fell

:#;

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Lept^ena. — Dalman, and many other authors.

Lept^na. + Strophomena + Strophodgnta, either wholly or
in part, of Hall and American authors.

D T a^ R. A
C ^

S ^

Tig. 103. Fig. 104i.

Pig. WS-— Strophomena meequistriata—Conrsid. Interior of ventral valve; S.S.,— the sides ;
M.— the front mu ^in ; C.C— the cardinal an^leij ; the edge of the area from C to is the
hinge line; A.— the flat ipace terminating the shell on the straijrht side is the area; B.—
the beak ; the small linear ridge beneath the beak is the doltidium ; T.— teeth ; R,— the
rostral septum ; D.— the divaricator muscular scar or impression ; O.— the occlusor; V.—
the vascular impressions. This figure is drawn as if the shell were flat in order to show
all the parts more clearly-

"Fig. lOi.— Strophomena demissa.-Conraid. Interior of dorsal valve. P.— the two divarica.-
tor processes or levers for opening the valves ; O.— the occlusor muscular impressiors or
scars.

Generic characters. — Shell, semicircular, semioval, sub-quadrate or
sub-triangular, with the hinge line straight ; one valve convex and
the other concave ; in a few species both valves nearly flat. Both
valves provided with an area, that of the ventral valve usually the
larger. Area of ventral valve with a triangular or linear foramen or
fissure in the middle beneath the beak, either wholly or partially
closed by a deltidium ; in some species no foramen. Area of dorsal
valve often with a triangular projection in the middle, caused by the
protrusion of the bases of the divaricator processes ; in some species
this is absent. Valves articulated together at the hinge line or inner
edge of the area, by teeth in the ventral valve, and sockets in the
dorsal, the structure of which varies in different species. Surface
ornamented with fine or coarse radiating striae or small ribs ; in a few
species smooth.

On the inner surface of the ventral valve there are two large pyri-
form or subtriangular muscular scars or impressions, situated one on
each side of the median line and in tbe upper half ot the valve.
These are the impressions of the Divaricator muscles or those whose

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST. 67

fHinction it was to open the valves. Between them there are two
much smaller scars situated also, one on each side of the median line.
These are the mipressions of the Occlusor muscles, or those whose
function It was to close the valves. On comparison it will be seen
that the arrangement of the scars in the ventral valve is in a g'^neral
way the same as in Athyri, and Sphigera. It is nearly the same in
Orthis, Chonetes, Producta, Atrypa, Spin/era, and ni most other
genera of Brachiopoda.

In some species, but not in all, the cavity within the beak and umbo
of the ventral valve is divided into two compartments, by a vertical
ridge or septum. This I propose to call the Rostral Septum. It
varies greatly in size, and is often absent altogether. It cannot there-
fore be regarded as an organ of generic importance.

In the interior of the dorsal valve there are four small scars arranged
in two pairs, one pair on each side of the median line. These are the
Occlusors corresponding to those of the ventral valve. In this
valve the divaricators were attached to two small processes situated close
to the hinge-line. (See fig. 104, P.) These are notched at their extre-
m^ities, and grooved on the outside, or side next the area. These I
propose to call the Divaricator Processes ; their function was to
open or divaricate the valves ; the mechanical principal upon which
they operated was simply that of the lever. This will be more clearly
understood by consulting Fig. 105.

Fig. 105

Fig. 105.-A longitudinal section through both valves of a Strophomena from the beak to
the front margin j the dorsal valve uppermost. M.-the front margin ; A.-the area of
the ventral valve; S.-the socket in the dorsal valve for the reception of the teeth of tho
ventral vaivej P.-the Divaricator Process (or lever); D.-the Divaricator Muscle- O —
the Occlusor. It is evident that by the contraction of the Divaricator muscle the extremity
of the process P must be drawn towards the jmint D, and thus the dorsal valve must turn
on the hinge at S, (as a door turns on its hinges.) By this movement of course the valves
were separated at tho front margin M. By the contraction of the Occlusor O the valves
were drawn together. It appears that in most of the Palaosoic genera of Brachiopoda
the muscular apparatus consisted of these two sets of muscles, but a little modified in
different groups.

In Strop/iomena the form of the scars and their distinctness varies
to some extent in diff-rent species, but their arrangement is in a
general way the same in all.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

iiili

In addition to the muscular scars, the inner surface of many species
exhibits numerous radiating branching channels, usually most distinct
near the margin. These are the impressions of the vessels of the
vascular system.

We shall now notice more particularly some of the variations
exhibited by the parts above mentioned in connection with the
following proposed genus.

Genus Strophodonta. — (Hall.)

In 1847, Mr. Sharpe pointed out that in Strophomena demissa there
was no foramen, and says : "It will probably be found to indicate a
distinct genus, as it must be accompanied with a peculiar internal
arrangement. Until this can be ascertained this species may remain
in LeptcBna, the genus to which it is most closely related."*

In 1849, Professor Hall proposed his genus Strophodonta (giving
S. demissa as the type) founding it on the characters pointed out by
Sharpe, and adding thereto the following remarks on the interior :
" In the interior there are no dental lamellte margining or surrounding
the muscular impressions, which are spread out over a considerable
surface in the dorsal valve, shewing partially a double or bilateral
arrangement. In the ventral valve there is some indication of a
limitation, or marginal elevation, to the muscular impression, but the
character is quite distinct from the same in Leptcena.'^f

In 1852, Prof. Hall redescribed the genus, founding it upon the
striated area and closed foramen, but gave no internal characters,
except, " Muscular impression somewhat bilateral." ij;

In 18.58, Professor Hall, in the Geology of Iowa published the
follovtfing more detailed description of the internal characters :

" In the ventral valve ibe teeth are much reduced or nearly obsolete, a central
more or less prominent bilobcd process usually occupying the centre of the area
in place of the triangular fissure of Strophomena. Muscular impressions
strongly marked, semielliptical or subreniform, separated in the middle by a
depressed line, and sometimes margined by a semicircular ridge, which is an
extension of the lamellae from either side. Vascular impressions foliate or
flabellate, extending beyond the areas towards the base of the shell.

" Dorsal valve with the muscular and vascular impressions strongly marked ;
cardinal process bifurcate from the huse, with each branch bilobed at the extre-
mity, by which it is articulated to procetses beneath the area of the opposite valve,
receiving between its forks the carVuial process of the opposite or ventral valve,

* SiiARFE, in Quar. Jour. (leol. iSociety, Vol C, p. i72.
t Haix In Proc. Am. Ass. ISaO, p. 34S.
t Pal. N.Y. Vol. 2. p. 63.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEHT.

which is bilobed or grooved for the passage of the peduncle. Entire interior
flurface papillose. "*

I hold th it the above is simply a description of the internal char-
acters of the genus Strophomena with the exception of the passage
that I have put in italics, which contains a statement decidedly incor-
rect. We have a number of specimens of S. demissa, S. incequistri-
ata and (S. ampla, showing clearly the inside of the area of the ven-
tral valve, and there are no such processes as those mentioned by
Prof. Hall. It is also evident that if the Divaricator processes were
as he says — articulated to processes beneath the area of the ventral
valve — the shell could not be opened at all. The notch and groove
in the Divaricator levers are simply the scars or marks of the attach-
ment of the muscle.

The divaricator processes i. e. the (*• cardinal process bifurcate
from the basp'^) occur in all species of Strophomena, and are not
pecuhar ti. those which he has placed in his genus Strophodonta.
They vary a good deal in their form in different species. The most
ancient species in which I have seen them is S. filitexta. The fol-
lowing Fig. 106 represents their form in this species, and it will be
seen that they differ only specifically from those of S, demissa.

rig. 106. Fig. 107.

Fig. 106. S, filitexta. a Divaricator processes, front view, h Viewed from the outside,

shewing the groove. The specimen is from the Black River Limestone, s. The dental

sockets.
Fig. 107. S. demissa. Copied from Geology of Iowa, PI. 3, fig. 5. c— Divaricator processes,

front view, rf— The same viewed from the outside.

The s])ccimen of »S. filitexta, from which the above fig. lOG was
drawn, does not show the occlusor muscular scars, and in fact the
interior of the dorsal valve is rarely so preserved as to shew them.
In S. rhomboidalis and S. Philomela, the divaricator processes
consist of two short ridges, abruptly terminated on the side of the
area, their extremities not elevated above the surface of the shell, and
if the length of the processes were of generic importance, then these

♦ Hali.. Geology of Iowr, Vol. L, Part 8. p. 491.

' f

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANAD;* WEST.

two species would belong to a genus distinct from S. filitexta and
S. demissa.

As to the muscular impressions, the following figures will show that,
although they are subject to considerable modifications of form, their
arrangement does not vary.

Fi?- 108. Fig. 109. Fig. 110.

Fig. lOS.-Roprpsents tho muscular scars in aspecimen of a species closely allied to, if not
identical with ,S'. alternata. It is from the Black River Limestone, Pallideau Islands
Lake Huron. The scars are deep, and well defined. O.-tho occlusors. D.-tho divari-
caters. T.— tho teeth.

Fig. 109.— S. alternata. Hudson River group. The scars nr ' well deflued.
Pig. 110.— (S. Philomela. Middle Silurian. The scars well defined. R.— the rostral septum,
rudimentary. O.— occlusors. D.— Divaricators.

When these are compared with Fig. 103, it will be seen that,
although there is some difference in form, the arrangement of the
muscular apparatus is the same, i, e., the divaricators outside, and the
occlusors between them.

The same rule holds good with respect to the occlusors. In all the
species (in which they have been observed) they are arranged in
two pairs, one pair on each side the mJiaa line, and yet they diifer
in form according to the species. Even in different individuals in the
same species they differ. Thus Fig. lO; differs from 104. Both of
the figures differ from that given by Davidson in the Geologist, Vol.
2., pi. 4, fig, 1-5, which was drawn from a specimen procured from
Prof. Hall, and all of them differ from a specimen in my possession —
from the Hamilton Shales of New York.

With respect to the foramen, the specimens in our collection, and
the figures given by various authors, show that there has been a
gradual change in the size of the orifice.

1. — SiLuuiAN. Most of the species with the foramen large, its
width greater than the height. Ex.~S. alternata, S. filitexta,
tS. planoconvexa, &c.

2— Devo IAN. Most of the species with the foramen very narrow,
sometimes reduced to a mere line across the area of tlie ventral

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Ex. — S. inaquiatriata, S. amplay

valve, and in 8om«; entirely absent.
S. demissa.

In comparing the fine series in our collection (embracing species
from every formation, from rocks holding Primordial Trilobites up to
the Corniferous), and also the figures given by Barrande, De Verneuil,
Davidson, Hall, and others, it is clear that in the size of the foramen
there is every shade of gradation from an aperture two lines wide
down to nothing. I hold, therefore, that the size of the foramen is
too variable to be of value as a generic character.

The same gradation occurs also in the extent to wnich the hinge
line is crenulated.

1.— Lower Silurian.— Most of the species with the hinge-line
and teeth smooth.

2.— Middle and Upper Silurian.— Most of the species with
the teeth or a small portion of the hinge-line next the foramen
striated. Ex. /?. Leda. S. Philomela. S. euglypha, SfC.

3. — Devonian.— Most of the species with a large portion or
nearly the whole of the hinge-line striated.

The striation of the area appears to have kept pace with the
diminution of the foramen ; the one gradually increasing from the
Silurian upwards to the Devonian and the other as gradually diminish-
ing.

The striated hinge-line and area is not peculiar to Strophomena.
Leptana transversalis and Chonetes hemispherica exhibit the same
character, although most other species of these two genera do not.

For the above reasons and also because there is no difference in the
form of the shell, I hold that the genus Strophodonta is quite super-
fluous.

Number of species of Strophomena.
On examining the various Reports ot the Geological Surveys of
the neighbouring States, I find that seventy-three species have been
named as occurring in the Upper Silurian and Devonian Formations
of these countries. According to my view, this number must be
greatly reduced. I do not think there can be more than twelve or
fifteen. In Canada West I can only recognize nine species in the
Oriskany Sandstone, Corniferous Limestone and Hamilton group, and
three of these, S. magnifica, S. magniventra and S. Pa.tferso?ii, may
be only varieties, the first two of S. perplana and the last of S.
iruEquistriata,

THE DEVON-4N FOSSILS OF CANADA WK8T.

Strophomena rhomdoidalis. — (Wahlenburg).

LEPTrN\ DEPRESSA -|- StROPHOMENA DEPRESSA + LEPT.4CNA

RUGosA + Strophomena rugosa + Lept^na tenuistria-

TA? + PRODUCTA DEPRESSA + P. ANALOUA, &C. Either

wholly or in part, of the generality of authors.*

FiK- 111. PiK- 112.

Fig. in.— Strophomena rhomboidalis, with the front straiglit.
Fig. 112.— The 8ame with rounded front.

Description.— BhomhoiM or irregularly semi-oval, widest on the
hinge-line, occasionally somewhat square: visceral disc strongly
corrugated by from nine to fifteen deep undulating concentric wrin-
kles ; both valves abruptly bent at one-half or two-thirds the length
to form a broad margin deflected towards the dorsal side. In the
ventral or convex valve the disc is nearly flat, but with a small portion
in front of the beak gently tumid. The curvature of the dorsal
valve conforms very nearly to that of the ventral. Area of ventral
valve narrow, seldom exceeding half a line in width ; the dorsal area
still narrower ; the two areas inclined towards each other at an angle
which varies from 30^ to 60°. Foramen of ventral valve large,
triangular, wider than high, partly filled by the two projecting extre-
mities of the divaricator processes of the dorsal valve. Surface
covered with fine crowded striae of a nearly equal size throughout,
five or six in the width of one line.

In the interior of the ventral valve the muscular impressions occupy
a subcircular cavity which is about one-third the length of the valve
and is bordered by an angular slightly elevated margin. The divari-

♦ Prof. Hall is desirous of having this species called S. rmjosa, and says that he lias seen
specimens of it labelled under that name in Ralinesque's hand-writing. But according to
the laws of scientific nomenclature, manuscript names cannot be recognized at all. The
first published specific name is {rhomboidalis), and this must be retained. The figure of
S. rugosa, published by De Blainville as the typo of the genus, in 1825, in the Manuel de
Malacologie, certainly does not represent this species.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

cators are situated one on each side, and the occlusors (seldom well
defined) between them. The form of these scars appears to be at
first sight somewhat different from that of S. incequistriata but ou
a little examination it will be seen that the general arrangement is the
same and the form only specifically different. On each side of the
foramen is a single short tooth.

In the interior of the dorsal valve the divaricator processes consist
of two short elevated ridges terminating abruptly just over the area,
their extremities not elevated, and free as they are in S. demissa.
They are separated in some specimens (but not in all) by a deep oval
pit. On each side is seen a small oblique socket or pit for the recep-
tion of the tooth of the opposite valve. Just in front of the divari-
cator ridge? are the two small scars of tho occlusor muscles, each
scar divided into two by an oblique ridge not often well developed,
but distinctly seen in a beautiful specimen now before me. These
scars are small, each pair occupying a space only one line in length
and breadth in a specimen one inch wide. The two pairs of scars
are separated by a low mesial ridge, which in some specimens becomes
a thin elevated septum towards the front of the shell. The vascular
impressions are only well marked round the margin.

Width from one-inch to one-inch and a-half ; length about one-
third less than the width.

Specimens two inches wide sometimes occur.

JJi)iities.— This wonderful species has no near relatives in the
Devonian rocks. By the form and structure of its foramen, divari-
cator processes and muscular impressions, it is clearly a Lower Silurian
type belonging to tho group, which includes S. alternata, and its
varieties S. deltoidea and S. tenuistriata (P"l., N. Y., Vol. 1). It
C'.)!amenced its existence just at the close of the Lower Silurian
period, or perhaps a little earlier, and lived on, with scarcely nay
change through the immeasurable ages of the Middle and Upper
Silurian and Devonian, and even until the Carboniferous was well
advanced.

Locality and formation. — Occurs at nearly all the localities of the
Oriskany Sandstone, Corniferous Limestone and Hamilton group in
Canada West. Also in all the older formations down to the top of
the Hudson River g. jup.

Collectors.— K. Murray, E. Billings, J. De Cew, E. De Cew, Judge
Wells, Chatham, Wm. Saunders, Loudon.

THE DEVONIAN FOS8ILS OF CANADA WEST.

Strophomena iNffitiuisTRiATA.— (Conrad.)
Strgi'HOMena in(equistkiata —Conrad. Journal of the Academy
of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia Vol. 8. p 254. PI. 14,
fig. 2, 1H;}9. Also compare the descriptions and figures in the
same work of S. ( redristhiata ; S varistuiata ; S. recti-
LATERis and S. imi'ressa.— Conrad. Also, S. varistriata;
and S. varistriata, var. arata.— Hall. Pal. N. Y. Vol. 3
p. 180, 184. Also the following in the 10th Ann. Rep. Regents
N. Y. Univ., S. iNfEQUiRADiATA .; S. TEXETiLis and S. conca^ .
—Hall.

Fig. 113.

Fig. m.~Stroj>lxomena in^quisfriata.-YGntra] ^im of one of tlie forms of this species
0., longitudinal section.

Description.— Serui-ciYcu\av, semi-oval, or sub-triangular, width on
hmge-line varying from one to three inches; length from two-thirds
to seven-eighths of the width ; cardinal angles compressed, forming
rounded o.- acute ears which are more or less extended. Ventral
valve varying greatly in the amount and in the form of its convexity ;
usually with the visceral disc depressed convex and the margin all
round abruptly curved down for one-third or one-half the whole length
of the shell ; sometimes the shell uniformly arched from beak to
front ; the umbo often so greatly developed as to overhang the hinge-
line and bring the area under the body of the shell ; in other speci-
mens the convexity of the umbo is continued along the middle to the
front, producing a broad mesial carinatiou ; in many the front is
greatly produced in a gradual slope iTom the anterior margin of the
disc, and occasionally we find si)ecimens with the front margin so much
curved as to be to some extent inrolled under the shell; in all the
umbo is more or less prominent, tiiere being a somewhat flat or
depressed sub-concave space of greater or less extent on each side

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

extending to ti.e cardinal angles. The dorsal valve is usually not so
mwcv curved as the ventral, thus leaving a comparatively large space
fo) Uie animal.

<rea of ventral valve from one-fourth of a line to one line in width,
f( or concave, obliquely si-iated all except ab at one-tenth the
length at each extremity, a wide shallow notch on the edge, in the
ruuldle of which is the foramen. Dorsal area about half-a-line wide
and not so variable in its dimensions as is the ventral.

Fig. 114.

Fig. 114.— A fragment of the ventral area iiatiii-al size, shewing the foramen and the wide
notch in the edge of the area.

Foramen small, linear, closed, usually about one-fourth of a line
wide, sometimes less. Teeth rudimentary, and situated one on each
side ';f the foramen on the edge of the area. Cavity of the beak
divided into two compartments by a rather strong rostral septum.

iu t^e interior of tho ventral valve the div cator scars are large,
sub-pyriform, and one-third the length of the whole shell. The
occlusors are ovate, half the length of divacirators, often with the
surface covered with minute corrugated wrinkles like the scars of
some species of Producta. The vascula*- impressions are well marked
on some of the casts of the interior, but vary in the number of the
branches, usually from three to five in the width of one Hue at the
margin. In thin shelled individuals they are not seen at all. Inte-
rior of dorsal valve not observed.

Surface very variously striated. In some the striae alternate in size,
there being one set of fine sharply elevated lines distant from half a
line to one lino from each other, the intervening spaces flat and with
from three to seven finer striae just visible to the naked eye ; in others
the intervening spaces are concave. In many the principal stria?
become coarser and closer together until the whole surface is covered
with strong angular bifurcating ridges from one-fourth of a line to
halt a line in width. In very well preserved specimens of these
latter, the coarse ridges are seen to be themselves ornamented with
the fine longitudinal striae. In all cases the whole surface when per-
fectly preserved, is beautifully cancellated by minute crowded concen-
tric striae.

Affinities of this species. — This species belongs to a type which

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

appeared in the lower Silurian seas, and is found more or less
abundantly in every for.aation from the Chazy up to the Ohemung
group. Many of the Devonian specimens so exactly resemble some
of the varieties of S. alternata, the dominant species of the Trenton
and Hudson River group, that were it not for the striated area and
nearly obsolete foramen, they could not be separated therefrom. The
general form, striation of the surface, and some of the internal mark-
ings are so nearly the same, that one can scarcely help thinking that
those we find in the Devonian rocks are the lineal descendants of
those with which the lower Silurian strata are cro^vded. Professor
Hall's description of S. vanstriata of the Lower Helderberg rocks,
of New York, applies exactly to this species (See Pal. N. Y., Vol. 3^
p. 180-184) the only difforonce being that the ?.pecimens are in
general smaller. I think that on comparison cf good series of speci-
mens that .pecies may yet be united to this, or perhaps all those above
cited may be united under one name S. varistriata. Should only the
Devonian varieties be urited I think they should all be referred to
S. inaqidstriata, as that form has been more extensively described
and illus'iated by Conrad and Hall than any of the others.

Locality/ and formation — Oriskany Sandstone; Corniferous Lime-
stone ; and Hamilton Group at nearly all the localities of these rocks
in Canada West.

Collectors.— A, Murray ; J. Richardsun ; J. De Cew ; E. De Cew ;
Wm. Saunders, London, and Judge Wells, Chatham.

Strophomena Patersoni?— (Hail.)

Stroi'homena PATERsoNiA.-Hall. Tenth Annual Report of the

Regents of the Universitv of New York.

Fig. 115.
Fig. 118. Strophomena Patersoni Ventral view.

THE D.VVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WKST. Tj

This species has all the characters of 8. in^equistriata, tlie only
ditterence heme; that the surfarp i<j TYinvi-n,i u ^

wrinVlpa T . • .1 . ^^"^ ^^ numerous concentric

wrmkle. I retam the name for the present provisionally, but have

roug doubts as to its claims to rank as a distinct species/ The shel
are always thm, witn two sets of radiating stri., the stronger ones
distant from one-fourth of a line to one line, and with from Ihrea to
twelve very fine ones between.

Locality and formation.-Ovhk^ny Sandstone, and Corniferous
limestone. County of Haldimand.
Collectors.— i. De Cew ; E. De Cew.

Strophomena demissa.— (Conrad.)
Strophomena DErnssA.-Oonrad. Journal of the Academv of
^ rd '''' '-^ Philadelphia. Vol. 8, p. 258, pi. 14,^ fig.
14, 1839. Strophomena or Strophodonta DEMissA.-Hall,
m various works. Con.pare also S. SUBDEMISSA.-Hall. Tenth
Ann Rep. Regents. N. Y. Univ. p. 14.5, and S. ARCUATA.-Hall.
Geology of Iowa. Vol. 1. Part 2, p. 492, Plate 3, fig. 1, «, h, c, d,
Z. a, 0, c.

Fiff. 118.

FiV'. 117.

Pig. 116.

Fip. 116.— One of the forms of .V. f/fWMsa, voiitral view.
Fig. '17,— Tlie same siiefuinen, dorsal view.
Fig. H8.— Two views of a very small specimen.

Description.—Semioya], subquadiate or subtriangular ; hi ge line
equal to, greater or less than the width of the shell; cardinal angles
often forming extended or short acute ears; in some specimens the
sides and front margin are uniformly carved, giving the semioval form
represented above, (fig. 116) ; in others the sides are somewhat
straight and parallel for two-thirds of the length, and the front margin
broadly rounded, approaching the subquadrate aspect ; others are
rov.nded subtriangular, the hinge line being extended and the front
narrowed, while some have the greatest width in the front half. The
width varies from a little less to one-third greater than the length.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

The most confix ;i size 13 from one inch to one inch and a half in
width, but very small specimens of from four to twelve lines are often
found.

The ventral valve is in general rather strongly convex, uniformly
arched from beak to front, sometimes a little flattened in the central
region ; the umbo small, rounded but prominent, overhanging the
area, the shell on each side depressed or subconcave towards the
cardinal angles ; in some a broad obscure carination extends from the
umbo along the middle to the front, with an obscure longitudina'
depression on each side

Dorsal valve moderately -^^cncave, usually with a shallow mesial
sinus commencing in a point at the beak and growing wider towards
the front.

Area of ventral valve in some specimens broad and somewhat flat ;
usually narrow ; often concave beneath and on each side of the beak,
either striated the whole length, or with a very small portion at the
cardinal angles smooth. Dorsal area not so variable as the ventral ;
the two areas inclined to each other at an angle which varies from less
to greater than a right angle, according to tlie degree of curvature of
the beak of the ventral valve.

No foramen ; a smooth triangular space beneath the beak on the
area of the ventral valve.

Surface with from ten to fifteen coarse angular ridges on the umbo
of the ventral valve which bifurcate several times, and become smaller
towards the front margin. In some small specimens the ribs do not
bifurcate.

In the interior of the ventral valve the muscular scars are of the
same type as those ofS. incequistriata, but the occ^usors are proportion-
ally nearer the beak. In the dorsal valve the occlusors are situated
in the upper one fourth of the length of the shell ; they are divided
by a median ridge which sometimes is much elevated about the middle
of the shell. There are usually two or three large tubercles or short
curved ridges just in front of the impressions. In thick shelled
specimens, the scars, median ridge and tubercles form a group
occupying an oval space which extends nearly half the length, and is
narrowed to a point below. In some there is a large space around the
muscular area covered with small tuborcles ; in others this space is
smootti. The vascular inprcssions are only well marked near the
margin.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Affinities and varieties.— 1\{x^ species stands nearer to 8. incequis-
tirata than to any other. It diflPers from that species in the absence
of a foramen, in the area being striated the whole length, in being
more uniformly convex, and in the characters of the surface. There
IS httle variation in the aspect, althougli the general contour differs
somewhat. The ventral area varies from half a line to two lines wide,
being almost linear in some specimens, and in others so wide as to
give a low triangular form. In general the specimens from the
corniferous limestone are smaller than those of the Hamilton group.
I have seen none from the former rock more than one inch and a
Quarter wide; but many from the last mentioned formation wit i a
breadth of one inch and a half.

Locality and Formation.— In most of the localities of the cornifer-
ous Limestone in Canada West. As yet, we have found n me in the
Hamilton group in Canada. My comparisons have been made rJto-
gether with specimens from the Hamilton shales of New York.

Collectors. —Y.. De Cew, J. De Cew, E. BiUings.

Strophomena perplana. — (Conrad).
Strophomena perplana and S. pluristhiata.— (Conrad). Jour-
nal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Vol. 8
p. 257-259. PI. 14, fig. 11.

S. CRENRiSTRiA aud S. FRAGiLis.--(nall). Tenth Annual Report of
the Regents of the University of the State cfNew Voy/c. P. i 1 1- 1 43.

Description.— l<learh flat ; covered witli tine, equal radiating striae.
Width on I Jnge line from one to two inches ; length varying from a
httle more to one-fourth less than the width. Ti* form the shell is
usually semioval— the front regularly rounder. ; sometimes the sides
are suddenly constricted just beneath the cardinal an :,.es ; often the
sides are nearly straight and parallel it: half tic j-ngth, then uni-
formly rounded to the fronts ; some :,avc rhe front rather straight,
giving a subquadrate aspect. The ventral valve is slightly convex,'
most elevated at about one-fourth or one-third fro.u the beak, flattened
towards the hinge line, often with a few obsc ire irregular concentric
wrinkles. Dorsal valve gently concave. Arta of ventral valve about
one line wide at the beak, slightly concave, Area of dorsal valve
about half the wid'!: jf tV -ntral— tlie two areas inclined towards
eacL other at an angle of a . ^/O^ . Boi. areas striated. No foramen.

Surface covered with fine equal stri* +rom six to nine in the

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

width of one line ; these are crossed by fine concentric strire eight to
twelve in one line. The radiating striae increase both by subdivision
and intercalation of new ones between the old ; they are often irregu-
larly undulated, and the surface of the shell has thus a somewhat
minutely uneven surface. In some specimens, however, this charac-
ter is not apparent.

In the interior of the ventral valve the muscular impressions
occupy a large sub-triangular depression in the substance of the shell.
This is about a line wide at the hinge line, from which point the sides
of the depressed space are nearly straight, and diverge outwards at an
angle of about 45° to the median line of the shell. The depression
gradually disappears, so that it is difficult to define its front margin.
Still, in very well preserved specimens, it can be seen that the divari-
cators are of an elongate oval shape, and that they extend more than
half the length of the shell ; the occlusors are elongate oval, and
situated close to the hinge line, their length one-third of that of the
divaricators. These latter are sometimes divided into several lobes by
thin, slightly elevated, longitudinal ridges. On each side of the mus-
cular cavity, near the hinge, the shell is covered with small tubercles.

This species is so easily recognized by its flat form and evenly
striated surface that a figure of it - unnecessary.

Although it has received a se name for every formation in

which it occurs, yet I cannot e out the slightest diiference

between the specimens of the Un.>.any Corniferous and Hamilton
rocks. I think, also, that S. magniiica of Hall is only a large variety
of this species.

Locality and Formation.— Ox\s\?iny Sandstone, Corniferous Lime-
stone, in County of Haldimand. Hamilton Shales, Township of
Bosanquet.

Collector! .—E. De Cew, J. De Cew, E. Billings.

StROPHOMENA LEPIDA. — (Hall).

Strophodonta LEPIDA.— (Hall). Geology of Iowa. Vol. I part

2, p. 493. PI. 3, figs. 3«, 34, 3c. 18.58.
Compare S. nacrea.— (Hall). Tenth Annual Report of the Regents

of the New York University, p. 144. Also, S. lepis.— (Bronn).

Lethmi geognostiea, 3rd edition. Vol. I., p. 30/ . Atlas. PI. 2

figs, r, a, b, c.

Description.— ^hdl small, smooth or scaly, no radiating striae,
about three-fourths of an inch wide, half an inch long, sub-semicir-

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OP CANADA WEST.

cul.r or sub-quadrate, usually rouuded in front, cardinal angles either
rounded or .uncuiate. Ventral valve ratheruniformlv convex, cardi^a
angles compressed, rarely preserved, but when they are a littl
reflected. Dorsal valve concave. Area of ventral valve h If a 1 „e
mde lyne „, the plane of the lateral margin ; „hen perfect, longitu-
dmally s trtated. or nearly sn.ooth ; when a little worn, showing obscure

Ihe " tf'f lu'' °' ,*' "^ "™'=''- A'™ of 'I"-' valve h
the wdth of the ventral, with a row of small tubercles on the outer

edge, and a corresponding row of small pits on the inside. \o fora-
men. * "

Internal surface of dorsal valve covered with small tubercl.s, .suallv
about half a ,„e apart; occlusor scars (in a specimen nine lines
w.de) suuated one line from the hinge, each scar longitudinally
divided by three elongated tubercles ; one line below each scar there
IS a promnuMit oval tubercle ; ludf way between these are two others
onthen.edmn Ime. The divaricator processes are two short stout
projection.s^ with their extremities notched, and the upper side
grooved. I have not seen tlio interior of the ventral valve

This si)ecies is probably only a variety of S. hpis, Bro>in, of the
Devonian rocks of Europe. It is easily recognized by its surfac'e,
which IS destitute of radiating stria;.

Locality and Formaiion.-Cormferom Limestone, County of Hal-
dimand. Township of Bosanquet, in the Hamilton Shales

Collector^.^E. De Cew, J. De Cew. J. Richardson.

Strofhomena ampla.— (Hall.)
Strophomena AMi.LA.-Hall. Tenth Annual Report of the Regents
oj the Lmversity of the State of New York, p. 112, 1857.
Compare S. PUNcruLiFERA.-Conrad, S. HEADLEyiNA—Hall S

CAVUMBONA.-Hall, S. LEATEN.VORTHANA.-Hall, and S. GENlCu'

LATA.— Hall, all in the 3rd Vol. of the Palaeontology of New York

Bescription.~^h.\\, large ; from two to three inches wide on the
lunge hue ; length from two-thirds to four-fifths the width j ventral
valve concave, with a gentle convexity in the region of the umbo •
often with a wide rounded mesial ridge, extend.;ng from the beak to
the front margin. Dorsal valve convex, with a large, flat or gently
concave space just in front of the beak ; sometimes with a shallow
rounded mesial sinus extending from beak to front. Area of ventral
valve varying from one to three lines in width at the beak; varying

THK DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WESST.

Tli. MO.
Fisr. 110— STKOPHOMnlTA AMPLA.— Ffall. Dorsal Valve.

also in the anoimt of its inclination to the plane of the latefdl
margin from 90« to 120*' ; obliquely striated for one-third or one-half
theVlistance between the foramen and the cardinal angles. Area of
dorsal valve smaller than the ventral, of nearly a uniform width
throughout, usually about half a line wide. Foramen small, linear
closed, one-third of a line in width. From the point where the
striation is discontinued the edge of the area of the ventral valve has
a distinct narrow groove extending to the cardinal angle.

Surface with moderately fine, somewhat equal, sh,irp, irregular strise,
which bifurcate several times before reaching the margin ; the number
also increasing by interstitial addition ; crossed by small concentric
striae, which are usually more distinct in the spaces between the ra-
diating stria.'. The radiating ridges are sometimes of a uniform si^e
all over the shell, six to eight in the width of two lines ; in others
larger near the beak than towards the margin, diminishing in size from
three or four in two lines at the 1)eak, to six or eight in the same
w:'dth at tlie margin. The surface characters are "ery variable within
a small limit, but the general aspect is that of a sharp or angular
somewhat rugose striation. When the shell is partially exfoliated, it
is seen to be perforated along the bottom of the grooves between the
radiating ridges by small circular o: oval pores, of wliich tliere are
from two to seven in the length of one line. These are indicated on

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST. 83

the inner surface of the shell by irregular rows of sn^all tubercles.
It I probable that when perfect the surface is always covered with
small spines, as seen in the following figure.

Fig, 120.

LimesS. \tXy'^lT:i!:::^ '""■""" '^"^•^'-^^ ^"'''^^ *'""-• '-- *'- Comirerou,
tudinal section. *''" "'"' "'"^ '"••'""'^" ' ^'^^ '"f* hand figure, the longi-

In the specimen above figured the spines are seated upon the crests
of the radiating ndges. They are about two-thirds of a line in length,

Ightly curved, and appear to be tubular. They do not seem to have
any connection with the pores of the shell, as these are situated, not
on the radiutnig ndges, but in the grooves between them. In the
interior of the ventral valve the muscular scars have very nearly the

roTdVr Tl" / ^:"'^^-'^^^^«'^' --r^ t^-t they are pro'portionany
con ave lol^ """''" "' '''''''' ^"^^ ^^^ ^ «- longitudinal

en In " " " '' ""'^ ^ '''' ^^ ^^^^'^^^'^ border. The rostral

The I : " 7^^P--;-^' rudimentary, in others, well developed.

tuber Tl r ; ""''" '^^P"" ^^ ^^ ^^--'^ -th small

tubercles. These leave punctures in the cast of the interior.

I have only partly seen the interior of th. dorsal valve. The diva-
ncator processes resemble those cf S. demiss't

or ff aTsl"'' r^"'''^^--Thi« species has in general a semicircular

In In Te!"' ""'"? '"^ '^ ""^'"^^ "^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^-"S^^-
va r.r. ^"""""^ '"""^^ '^" ^'^'^"^- The form of the cur-
^ature of the valves is subject to innumerable modifications ; the only
constant curves being the general ones above stated. I think all the
specimens in our collection from the Oriskany Sandstone, Corniferous

n«^^

iMMii

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Limestone, and Hamilton Group, constitute but one species. The
only variation that could be regarded as of specific importance are
those of the area of the ventral valve above mentioned. In four of
our specimens it forms a right angle to the plane of the lateral mar-
gin. In several others it forms an angle of about 120'"^, and taking
these extremes it might well be thought that there are two species.
But we have one fine specimen in which the angle is about 100°. I
therefore think that this is not a variation of specific value.

In all the more general characters this species is precisely identical
with S. punctulifera, (Conrad) and those allied therewith, which I
have cited above from the 3rd vol. of the Pal. N. Y. The corniferous
specimens are, upon an average, larger than those figured by Prof.
Hall from the Lower Ilelderberg. This, however, of itself would
not be of specific value. The only doubt I have as to the identity of
this species with S. punctiilifera rests upon the characters of the
foramen of this latter. It is (at the time of writing this) not figured,
but Prof. Hall thus describes it : " Foramen nearly closed, with a
narrow prominent callosity ulony the centre.'" In S. cainimbona, he
says, " Foramen small, narrow, closed by a callosity." In .S'. Head-
leyana, " Foramen narrow, closed." In S. Leavenworthana, ''Fora-
men small, triangular, closed in full grown individuals." As there
thus appears to be some diiference, I strongly suspect that a series
might be made out showing a gradation in the size of the aperture
in all the above named species. In such poor specimens of the Lower
Helderberg species as I have before me, the foramen cannot be
observed at all. The surface characters and the form seems to me to
be the same, and for the present it should be left an open question
wliether or not S. ampla is distinct from S. jyunctulifera.

Locality and Formation. — County of Haldimand, in the Oriskany
Sandstone and Corniferous Limestone, Township of Bosanquet, in
Hamilton Group.

Collectors.— A Murray, J. De Cew, E. De Cew, E. Billings.

Strophomena magnit'ICA. — (Hall).

This is a large, nearly flat species, three or four inches wide,
resembles S. perplana. Our specimens are all very imperfect,
occurs in the Oriskany Sandstone, County of Haldimand.

It
It

■Hi

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST. ^5

Strophomena magniventra.— (Hall).
Of this species, I have only seen some fragments, shewing casts of
he area o the ventral valve and muscular fmpressions. It apn LrJ

re^t:;r^^" '' ' --^- -' — - ^-^^^^

The specimens of these two species in our possession agree exactly
with Professor Hall's figures. I am endeavouring to prfcu e ma ^"^
lals to illustrate them properly. ^

Genus Chonetes.— (Fischer).

This genu, differs from Sln.piomena in some internal elmracter.,
wh ch cannot be very well deseribed withont the aid of good illnstra:
tions. The shells are ni general „n,ch smaller than those ofS^.oMo-
««<».• they are more evenly striated, and the ear.linal edge of the
ventral valve nsually displays a row of sn.all slender spines, whieU
heeome gradnally longer towards the angles. The area and foramen
are s,mdar to those of Strapl.o,»e»„, as are also (very nearly) Z
mnscu lar .mpressions and divariea.or proeess of the dorsal valve.
The v„ ves arfeulate by teeth and soekets, and in one speeies (C.
hemapher,ca) the area of the ventral valve is striated.

Between twenty-five and thirty speeies have been described as
oceurrn,g n, the Devonian rooks in the neighbonring States, and it is

no^forrn that has ., been nan.ed. At present, I ean identify only

Chonetes hem ispherica.— (Hall)

^Trr '™T"'"'''" ^ ""■ ^'^^^'^^'^-Hall. Tenth Annual
lieport of the llegents of tho Univernty of New York, p. Ilfi-li;.

Fig. 121

Fig. 122.

Fig 123.

^'S th^^2ntv.;^'''f '"'r''"''"^'" ''"'^ '''' largest specimen seen.' Fig. 122.-View

Mte

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Description. — This species resembles in shape some of the forms of
S. inaqnistriata, but it can always be distinguished therefrom by the
surface, which is covered with fii • crowded, rounded or sub-angular
striae of an uniform size, from eigh to ten in the width of one-fifth
of an inch, presenting that even aspect peculiar to the genus chonetes,
and rarely exhibited by species of Sirophomena.

The ventral valve is usually extremely convex, most prominent in
the upper half ; the umbo large — obtusely rounded, overhanging the
hinge line ; the cardinal angles compressed, reflected, forming short
projecting scars ; on the cardinal edge from five to eight small spines,
rarely preserved, their bases only being visible. Area of ventral
valve, in old specimens, owing to the extreme incurvation of the car-
dinal portion of the shell, inverted or brought under the body of the
shell at right angles to the plane of the margin ; in young specimens
not so much inverted ; its width about half a line, or a little more ;
obliquely striated, the striae most distinct at the hinge line. Area of
dorsal valve, very narrow— almost linear, the inner edge with a row
of small pits for the reception of the serrated teeth of the opposite
valve.

The width of this species is usually about one-inch on the hinge-
line but it sometimes attains the size of one-inch and a half. Length
equal to, or one-third less than the length.

The dorsal valve is seldom found, although the ventral valve is
somewhat comii;on. Of the former I have seen only two fragments,
consisting of the hinge-line and a portion of the shell. One of these
was in its natural connection with the ventral valve, and being silici-
fied came away on immersion in acid ; the divaricator processes are
united at the base and separated above by a narrow fissure ; they are
grooved on the outside, the grooves converging towards the hinge-
line so that when viewed from the side of the area they have the
appearance of four small radiating ridges.

The muscular impressions and foramen have not been observed by
me. The triangular opening in the area represented by Fig. 121,
may be the foramen, but it seems to me to be a fracture.

Prof. Hall describes two species differing from each other in the
size of the striae ; in C. arcvata, " sixteen occupying the space of
one-fifth of an inch, while only one-half that number can be counted
in the same space on C. hemisphericar ( lOth Regents, Rep., p. 1 1 7).
Our specimens agree with the latter.

THK UKVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

87
erous

Locality and /.m«^/.«.-Oriskany Sandstone and Cor.nf
Limestone, Connty of Haldimund.

Collectors,-^, Murray ; E. Billings ; E. Do Cevv and J. De Cew.

Other Species of Chonetks and Producta

Fig. 124. Fig. 123.

Fig. I21.-Tw(, Mpocics of Chonetes undetprmiiiod.

y25.-Producea. A small uiidetermiiiecl species. a.-Side view
valve.

'v.— View of ventral

Besides Chonktes hemispherica there are three or four other
small speeies of the genus in the Corniferous Limestone and Hamil-
ton Group ,n Canada West, but in the present condition of the
literature of American Palaeontology I cannot determine them. The
student IS referred to N. Y. Regents' Reports. Fig. 124 reprosents
two species, one with the spines directed obliquely outwards and in
the other erect. They are both from the Hamilton Group.

In the Cormferons Limestone we have also two small species of
Producta. One of these (Fig. 125) is covered with nodular radia-
ting ribs. Ihe other is about the same size as the above but with a
smooth tubercular surface.

Genus Leitoccelia ? Hall.
This genus as described by Professor Hall in the 12th Annual
Report of the Regents, published in October or November 1859, seems
to differ from ^entronella only in consisting of species whir^- lave
the surface ribbed instead of smooth. Professor Hall dates h.s genus
lo!^ « \ T ""^ description was published until the issue of the

12th Regents Report and therefore should it be the same as Centm.
nella it cannot bo retained, as the latter has the priority. For the

z:::Jr:^r ' ^'^^^™"^' -^^ '--^ -- ^^^ ^---^

Leptoccelia? flabellites. (Conrad.)
Atvrpa ^j^ABELLiTES. (Courad.) Annual Report on th Paleonto-
logy of New York lor 1.S4], p. 55.

LePTOCCL'LIA propria -j- L. FIMHKIATA 4- T t^. . Tr V

-r xj. MMUKIATA + L. DlCiiOTOMA. — Hall.

'n various works. '

.MAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT.3)

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riiUlUgiclplUL'

Sciences
Corporation

1.6

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, NY. 14S80

(716) 872-4503

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.''i^

'J vV-S^ ^

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WES^.

Fig. 126.
Fig. Vlfi.—Leptoccelia Jlabellites.—'DoraBi and sido views.

Description. — Shell semi-ellipiical, or sub-circular, or transversely-
oval. Dorsal valve 'nearly flat, with from ten to fourteen rounded or
sub-angular rib?, one or two of which., in the middle, are usually
separated from those on each side by grooves deeper and wider than
the others and sometimes depressed so as to give the appearance of a
mesial sinus ; hinge-line either nearly straight or with the portions
on each side of the beak forming an obtuse angle seldom so acute as
150°. Ventral valve moderately convex, often carinate along the
middle, beak small, pointed, incurved down to the dorsal area ; ribbed
like the opposite valve.

Width from six to ten lines. Length a little less than the width.

Locality and Formation. — Oriskany Sandstone and Corniferous
Limestone, County of Haldmand, Canada West, also in prodigious
numbers in the Oriskany Sandstone at Gaspe, Canada East.

Collectors. — A. Murray ; E, Billings ; E. De Cew ; J. De Cew, in
Canada West. Sir W. E. Logan ; J. Richardson ; R. Bell, Gaspe.

Leptoccelia concava. Hall.

Pig. 127.
Fig. 127. — Leptoccelia concava. Ventral, dorsal and side views.

Description. — Ovate or neany circular; length three or four lines;
width equal to, or a little less than the length. Ventral valve convex
sub-carinate along the middle. Dorsal valve flat or often concave.
Surface with from ten to fourteen rounded radiating ribs.

This species closely resembles the L. Jiaheliltes but is never more
than half the lenjjth or width. On comparison with specimens of
L. concava from the Lower Heldcrberg of New York, I find so little
difference that I do not see how those of the Corniferous Limestone
are to be separated. In several the dorsal valve is not so deeply
concave as it is in those from the lower rock, but in others it is. The

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

ribs are also in general coarser, but occasionally specimens with fine
bifurcating ridges are found exactly like those from the shaly lime-
stone of the Helderberg mountains.

Locality and Formation. — Oriskany Sandstone and Corniferous
Limestone, County of Haldimand.

Collectors — E. Billings ; E. De Cew ; J. De Cew.

liAMELLiBRANCHiATA. — (Blainville.)

In tho Oriskany Sandstone, Corniferous Lfmestone, and Hamilton
Group of Canada West, we find about twenty species of lamellibran-
chiate mollusca, mostly in a bad state of prescr^^ation. These with
several exceptions must remain for future examination. I shall only
notice the following at present :

Genus Cyrtodonta.— (Billings,) 1858.

CvpiucARniTEs.— Conrad. Annual Report on the Paleontology of
New York, 1841, p. 51.

Megalomus.— Hall. Pal. N. T. Vol. 2, p. 243. 1852. Not
characterized.

Cyrtodonta. —Billings. Report of the Geological Survey of Canada,
1858, p. 179. Sub-genus Vanuxemia, p. 189.

Pal^arca + Megambonia — Hall. Twelfth Annual Report of the
Regents of the University of New York, 1859, p. 10-13. Also
Cyi'ricardinia ?— Hall. Pal. N. Y. Vol. 3, p. 2(iG. Not
characterized. lu part. Also Pal.'earca and Megambonia in
same work. 1861 .

Generic characters.— 'EqvawXxe, inequilateral ; umbones near the
anterior end ; general form ol)liqnely tumid, transversely sub-rhom-
boidul, ovate or sub-cordiform ; ])osterior extremity larger than the
anterior, which latter is often reduced to a small auriculate projection
in front of the umbones ; two muscular impressions, of which the
posterior is superficial, and the anterior sometimes deeply excavated ;
several linear anterior teeth crossing the hinge plate, backwards and
obliquely downwards, usually curved and in some species striated,
situated either beneath or a little in front of the umbones ; posterior
teeth situated at or near the extremity of the hinge liiic, usually from
two to five, elongate ; pallial line simple; some of the fpecies with a
narrow area between or behind the beaks.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

History of the Genus.

The somewhat numerous species which belong to this genus, have
been variously distributed and shifted about among the genera
Amhonychia, Cardiomorpha, Edmondia, Modlola, Modiolopsis, Megam-
bonia, Palcearca, Cypricardinia, Mega/omus, and Cypricardites in a
very remarkable manner. Conrad, the first Palaeontologist of the
New York Survey, placed all the spccios, (twenty-three in number)
described by him in a single genus, and I think that the many changes
made by his successor in office, have not been productive of a'ay
improvement on that simple arrangement. The following are a few
of the facts :

In the fifth Annual Report on the Palaeontology of New York,
Conrad, in 1841, characterized his genus Cypricardites and described
sixteen species from the Silurian and Devonian rocks of the State.
He did not give any illustrations, but it now appears that he prepared
a figure, (shewing the characters of the hinge,) which, however,
remained in Professor Hall's hands eighteen years without publication.
In thv; 8th volume of the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences,
Conrad described seven other species from the Devonian rocks of New
York. These are all figured.

In 1847, Protessor Hall suppressed the genus Cypricardites and
substituted his own genus Modiolopsis, in which he placed all Con-
rad's Lower Silurian species. The following are his remarks in a
note at the foot of p. 157, Vol. 1. Pal. N. Y.

" I find myself compelled to abandon the use of the name Cypricardites, as
applied to shells differing so widely as these do from Cvpricardia, and belonging
apparently to the Monomvaria and Dimvania. So far as it is possible to ascertain,
none of the species of the older strata possess two muscular impressions, and
therefore do not strictly fall under tb 3 genus Cypricardites of Conuad, (Ann.
Geol. Report, 1841, p. 51-)"

The principle upon which the above decision was given, is perfectly
correct. It is one of the established laws of nomenclature that a
name which involves a zoological error (such as referring a genus to
the wrong place in the system of classification) should be excluded.
The reasons given by Professor Hall for bringing Cypricardites
within the operation of this law arc not so well foimded, because both
Modiolopsis and Cypricardites have two muscular impressions. The
correct reason is that the name implies a close relationship to the
recent genus Cypricardia, which belong to the family Cvpkinid^

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

while the species in question constitute a group in the family Arcadce.
No Conchologist would think of admitting such a name as Cypricarditea
among the Arcad^e.*

In 1858, I published the genus Cyrtodonta and its sub-genus
Vanuxemia, and illustrated them fully by figures shewing the internal
characters of several species. (See my Report for 1 858.) About the
same time Professor Hall described the same genus under the names
of PalcEarca and Megambonia the latter being identical with my sub-
genus Vanuxemia. His descriptions were (as he says) printed in
1858, in the 3rd volume of the Palaeontology of New York. At the
foot of page 2/0 of that work the reader will find a note on the
genus Cypricardites which shews very clearly that at the time the
author had his new genera under consideration, Conrad's genus was
also receiving some attention as it had on several previous occasions.
When my Report was published, Professor Hall seeing that
his genus PaUearca was too late, resolved if possible to revive
Cypricardues for the purpose of suppressing Cyrtodonta. He there-
fore issued a small pamphlet of 18 pages, (being part of the 12th
Ann. Rep. of the N. Y. Regents, in which he gives his descriptions,
and in addition thereto a note pointing out the identity of Cypricardites
and containing Conrad's figure. This probably appeared in May or
June 1859, as it is noticed in the July No. of Silliman's Journal of
that year. In 1860, the .'kd Vol. of the Pal. N. Y., was published,
but without the plates. On page 523 of that work, I find the follow-
ing statement :

"At the time that my examinations and descriptions of Pala:arca were
made (in ISST,) I had overlooked the genus Cyi-ricardites of Conrad, which
was published in the Annual Geological Report for 1841. The description and
figure correspond so nearly with the fossils which I have described that I feel
compelled to adopt the prior name, which will Include those described in this
volume under the genus Pal.i.arca, as well as those described by Mr. Billings
under the genera Cyrtodon and Vanuxemia." (Compare the above with the
note at the foot of page 270, Pal. N. Y., vol. 3).

As for myself, I must say that when. I described the genus Cyrto-
donta, I was aware of Conrad's description, but considered, as I do
now, that the genus (having been suppressed by Professor Hall, and
never acknowledged by palaeontologists, or quoted by them except as

• See Dana in Sillinian's Journal, 2nd Series, Vol. 28, p. 149. 1859.

THE DKVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

a synonim) was perfectly obsolete. And as the name is decidedly
inappropriate, I hold that it cannot be restored now.

I shall, in conclusion, direct attention to the uncharacterized genus,
Mcffulotnus. This name was proposed by Professor Hall in the 3rd
volume of the Pal., N. Y,, as a generic appellation for a species
which is a true Cyrtodonta. I have ascertained that it has the same
curved anterior teeth, and although I have not seen the posterior teeth,
there is not the least doubt but that they do exist. Now, it might be
thought that Megalomus, having priority over Cyrtodonta, should
take its place. I contend that this would not be the correct or the
just course. In Professor Hall's description he has " overlooked "
the generic characters, and only given those which are specific. All
that he has described is not sufficient to constitute a genus. The
best proof of this is, that the author cannot recognize it himself, as
he has since described two other genera, Falaarca and Megamhonia,
which, if retained, would irJude Megatomus. I have been the first
to describe correctly and illustrate this genus under a name that is in
no respect inappropriate, and I have a right to retain that name
against those which are objectionable or not founded on an intelligible
generic description. I further consider Megalomus an inconvenient
name, because it so closely resembles Megaloma, a genus of Gastero-
pods.

Sub-genus Vanuxemia.

FiK 128.
Fig. \%%. — Vanuxemia Bayfteldii—JiiWm^s, sliewii

i.terior of left valv .

This sub-genus was proposed by me, to include those species of
Cyrtodonta which have the beaks terminal, or nearly so, nnd the

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

■

anterior exUcmity reduced to asmull auriculate expansion or obsolete.
The above figure shews the teeth and luuscular impressions of V.
Bayfieldii, Hudson River Group.

VaNUXEMIA TOMKINSI.— (N. Sp).

FiK- 129.

Pijr. 130.

Vift. 129.— KflMMxemJa Tomkinsi.—VxQyr of ri)?ht side,
Fi!?, 130.— View of anterior side.

Description.— Ovate, exceedingly gibbous, cordiform ; umbones
very prominent ; beaks closely incurved.

Placing the shell with the hinge-line in a horizontal position, we
find that the line passing through the greatest length of the shell
forms an angle with it {i.e. with the hinge-line) of about 45° ; the
apical angle, or the angle formed by the slope in both directions from
the umbones is about 80"; both of these slopes extend about half the
length of the whole shell ; from their extremities the remainder of
the margin on the posterior, ventral and anterior sides is rounded,
somewhat pointed in the middle. At the anterior extremity of the
hinge-line there appears to be a small auriculate projection, but this
point is not very well preserved in the specimen.

Surface somewhat smooth, with obscure, concentric striee, three or
four in the width of one line. Besides these there are some obscure,
shallow, concentric, undulations of growth.

The best preserved specimen is two Inches and one-eighth in length
— measuring from the umbones to the most projecting or pointed part

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

of the margin below. The greatest width (which is at raid-length,
and nearly at right angles to the greatest length) is one inch and
three (juarters. Depth of both valves, at a little above the middle,
one inch and a half. The utnbones are elevated nearly half an inch
above the hingelino. The whole shell is pretty evenly convex, with
a slight ajjproach to a concave slope in front of the umbones. There
appears to be an area, but our specimens do not shew it with sufficient
clearness to warrant a positive opinion.

This species is dedicated to the discoverer, W. G. Tomkins, Esq.,
C. E. St. Mary's, Canada West.

Locality and Formation. — Corniferous Limestone, St. Mary's.

Collector.— W. G. Tomkins.

Gasteropoda. — (Cuvier. )

We have in the Devonian Rocks of Canada West about 25 species
of Gasteropoda of the genera £'moa«/iA«Zm«, Straparolhis. Murchisonia,
Pleiirotomaria, Lorconema, Macrocheilns, riati/ostoma and Platyceraa,
Of these I shall only notice the following at present.

EuoMPHALUS De Cewi. — N. Sp.

Fig. 131. Fig, 132.

Fig. \Zv.—Euomplialu8 De Cewi.—h. small specimen.
Fig. 1.'52 —View of the umbilicus.

Description. — Shell from two to four inches in diameter ; whorls
about three. Spire nearly flat or gently concave ; umbilicus deeply
concave. The upper side of the whorls is nearly flat, with an angular
edge all round the margin, (in casts narrowly rounded). The outside
of the whorls nearly at right angles to the upper, but inclining a
little inwards and gently convex. On the lower side there is a narrow
rounded edge all round, from which there is a nearly uniform concave
slope into the deep sub-hemispherical umbilicus.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

9ft

The surface is marked with large sHghtly elevated lines of growth
four or fiie in one line which on the upper side of the whorl curve
backwards to the outer margin, and, then crossing the marginal edge
curve forward for half the depth of the whorl on the outside, then
backwards to the edge of the umbilicus within which they are not
preserved in any specimen that I have seen. The aperture has the
upper outer and inner sides nearly straight and at right angles to each
other. The lower side is narrowly convex at the outer angle and then
concave conforming to the curve of the umbilicus. In a nearly
perfect specimen three inches across, the upper-side of the last whorl
is full an inch wide at the aperture and the outer-side an inch and a
half*

In general the spire is flat or gently concave but in some of the
casts the two inner whorls are a little elevated above the plane of the
outer one.

This fine species is closely allied to Emmphahs Mffonafis.— (Gold-
fuss) of the Devonian rocks of Germany, but it is flatter above, and
according to Goldfuss' figures, the surface of that species is finely
cancellated.

Dedicated to the discoverer Mr. J. De Cew, of Cavuga, C. W.
Locality and Formation.— Coux\\y of Ilaldin'and, ' Corniferoua
Limestone.

Collector, — J. De Cew.

Straparollus ? Canadensis.— CN. Sp.)

Description.— Thh species consists of a simple, cylindrical, slender,
gradually tapering tube, coiled up so as to make a nearly flat disc
abou: two inches and a half across. A transverse section of the tube
is very nearly circular, which must also be the form of the aperture.
The spire is nearly flat or gently concave. The umbilicus is widely
but not very deeply concave. There are about four whorls. In
specimens two inches and a half wide the diameter of the aperture is
from seven to nine lines. The surface markings are not preserved in
the specimens that I have seen. In one there are several concave
transverse septa and it may be that this is a Cephalopod of the genus
Trochoceras and not a Gasteropod. As however species of Strapa-
rollus are occasionally septate I shall place it in thatgenus provisionallv.

This species is closely allied to Eumnphalus j^lanorbis, (Archiac r.nd
Verneuil) of the Devonian Rocks of Germany but has fewer whorls.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Locality and Formation.— County of Ilaldiinaud. Corniferous
Limestone.

Collectors.— J. De Ct-w ; E. De Cew.

LOXONEMA COTTERANA. — (N. Sp.)

Fig. 133.
Pig. 133.— ioa-onewia Cotterana.

DescriptioH.—ElougiiU, fusiform, acute, apical angle, between 25''
and 30* ; whorls four to six ; very depressed convex ; body whorl
large, occupying full one-half the whole length of the shell, descend-
ing with a uniform convexity into the aperture ; aperture elongate
ovate, effuse below, columellar li]) extending about three-fourths of an
inch below the body of the whorl. The suture in the cast deeply
excavated, but narrow, the fissure descending into the fossil obliquely
downward, the whorl below presenting a sharp edge over it, and the one
above, an obtusely convex slope into it ; this is the appearance presented
when the suture is completely cleared of the shell. Surface unknown.

Length, three inches. Length of last whorl measured on a line
passing longitudinally along the inner lip, one inch and a half ; diam-
eter of last whorl, one inch.

Dedicated to the discoverer, Miss Catherine Cotter, daughter of
Col. G. S. Cotter, of the Township of Dunn.

Locality ana Formation. — Lake Shore, Township of Dunn. Cor-
niferous Limestone.

Collector. — Miss Catherine Cotter.

Cephalopoda. — (Cuvier).

In this class I estimate that there are twenty-five species of the
genera Orthoceras, Cyrtoceras, Phragmoceras, Nautilus, and Gonia-
tites.

THE DEVONIAN FOSSILS OF CANADA WEST.

Cyrtoceras Ammon. — (N. Sp.)

Description. — Six to eight inches in length ; section nearly circula/;
rather abruptly curved ; a specimen, six inches in length, forming a
half whorl, which would lie in a circle of four inches in diameter ;
the apical three inches, curved with a radius of about one inch and a
half, more gently cu.ved towards the aperture. Tube tapering froir
a diameter of fifteen lines at the larger extremity, to six lines at the
smaller, in a length of six inches.

The shell of this specimen is beautifully ornamented by strongly
elevated, encircling, waved ridges, of which there are forty-seven in
the length of five inches and a half; these arc distant from each other
about three lines at the larger extremity, becoming gradually more
and more approximated towards the smaller end — where the last two
are scarcely a line distant. In their course round the shell, the ridges
are undulated by short, zig-zag curves, from half a line to two Hues
wide, and one line, or a little less, in depth. In crossing the median
line of the ventral aspect, they make a deep curve towards the apex,

wif^ becom-

^^he ridges

' half a

^ ->

two lines deep near the aperture, and one line and
ing gradually less as the diameter of the shell dc
project abruptly from the surface of the shell to
line, the intervening spaces are flat, and nearly am appar-

ently obscure, concentric strife.

The deep flexures of the encirol'"'^ "idges along the , aspect

seem to shew that the siphuncle o. ^ated close to the margin on
that side. The septa have not been observed. The aperture is not
preserved in the specimen, but it is niost probably circular.

The above description is founded upon a single specimen, which is
nearly perfect, and has the shell preserved— but silicified.

Locality and Formation.— l^ovim\\\^ of Rainhtim, Corniferous
Limestone.

Collector.— E. De Cew.

Cyrtoceras Belus. — (iV. Sp.)
Description. — Six to eight inches long ; curved so as to make about
half of a whorl, of which the diameter would be about six inches.
In a specimen seven inches long, measuring along the ventral aspect,
the curve corresponds very nearly to that of a circle witu a radius of
three inches, and the remainder to one with a radius of about two
inches. The cross section of the tube is transversely oval ; the great-

■.;s5SiBl**s

THE DEVONUK FOSSIW OF CANADA WEOT.

est lh,ck„o„, from side to side , the least, from the ventral to the
do„.I.,pec.; the diamotor, having . proportion to each other of
abou ten or eleven to ifteen. The ,ides are narrowly .unded ■ the
dorsal aspcet omformly depressed convex; the ventral a Ject ml

ime. In the cast of the mter.or there i, close to the aperture a
broad, shal ow constriction, showing either that the shell is h eke ed
onthems,dc at tins point, or that the apertnre i, smaller than the
greatest «,.e of the tube. There is «U„ „„ ,ppe.™„ee which lead, me
to inspect tnat the aperture is obscurely trilobcd. In the sped.":

Ind Th I / ">"* """^"P' ""' '""I" '" I™?"' Of the tube

'pt Tb r. r T" '° ™^'' ""'^ " "•"' «PProaeh th
apex The s,phu„clc ,s about two lines in thickness and dose to the
.nargu,, bu, not in contact therewith, there being in one sp "^en h
a hne and u, another abont „ line between ft and the sheU The
latter appears to tbu. will, obscure encircling atrm

A specimen seven inches in length has a'dorso ventral diameter of

teen hues, at about one inch from the aperture ; and it tapers to

s..< hnc at seven n.ehcs. The remainder to the apex is broken off

' ,"°* P''»"-l- The lateral diameter of this .pccimeu cannot he

asccrta,ned, a, i, i, p„rt|y imbedded in the stone But n 1"
(. ragn,en.) the dian.ctcrs are. at the large end. .2 lines to t '
and at two mches nearer the apex - to 1 i lines

There appears to be some variation in this species with regard to
the d,s,anee of the septa. In one specimen tL first tw >"! th
outer chamber are only two lines distant, and in another which appears

rjrcrrer " "-^ -^ '- "^'■' '- °- '-^ •' "■- ^

dimaTd!"^ ""' ^"''"""""-C-if-ous Limestone, County of Hal-
Collectors.— E. DeCew. J. DeCew.

Crustacea.
The Trilobites that have been determined are Cahj„,ene Blumen-
hachn, Phacops 5ufo. Dal.nanites calliteles, and PhUlipsia? cZ-

ZT rT ''''^^> *^-- - five other species'^belongbg"
the genera Licha,<,, Dalmanites, and Phillimia ^\n ,11 »• •

There are also two species of Lepermi ' ' '" "" ^P"'"'

-I'

THK DKVONl'.N F0S8.L8 OF CANAD.i WEST.

■I

Pisces.

There appear to be three or four species of fish in the Oris.vany
Sandstone und Corniferous Limestone, one or two of them covered
with plates resembling those of an Aaterolepia. Dr. Newbury
informs me that one of them is his Agaasizicthya SuUivanti.

SUMMARV. •

The following i? a statement of the number of species in the
Devonian Rocks of Canada West according to my estimation of the
specimens in the Museum of the Survey :

Determined.

, 54

Zoophyta ,

Crinoidea

Bryozoa

Brachiopoda

Lamellibranchiata

Gasteropoda

Cephalopoda

Crustacea

Pices

4/
2
4
2
4
1

Undetermined.

10
10

114 113

Nearly all of the species above given as determined will be found
noticed in the several papers published in this Journal. Among
those undetermined there must be a great many identical with those
described in the publications of American Greologists. I shall endea-
vour to give some account of them in a few months.

TOHONTO: PBXIfTKD BY LOVKLL AND GIBSON, YONGi; SIBBBT.

■\\