428 HENRY SIDEBOTTOM ON LAGENAE OF THE SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC. 



Jones and Chapman are utterly in error in referring my speci- 

 mens to Eamulina is a matter quite beyond doubt. As genera 

 and species in the Foraminifera go, they have nothing what- 

 ever in common beyond a superficial resemblance. L. protea 

 always has but a single chamber and a single aperture. Now, 

 Kamulina fragments have always several open tubular projec- 

 tions, or when much broken the corresponding apertures are 

 left. It might be urged that L. protea is the initial chamber 

 of R-amulina. This is disproved by the absence of Ramulina in 

 dredgings where L. protea is abundant, and still more conclusively 

 by the fact that the initial chamber of Ramulina is known. 

 Schlumberger has found perfect specimens of R. grimaldii Schlum- 

 berger. These commence, as one would expect, as a Polymorphina, 

 and afterwards take on the ramuline growth. E,amulina may, 

 indeed, be considered as one of the fistulose Polymorphinae, and 

 is to my mind one of the genera that might well be dropped. I 

 have found L. protea in profusion, have examined specimens with 

 great care, and can positively pronounce them to be true Lagenae,. 

 and not the young or imperfect examples of anything else. Any 

 one who will examine my series, yours, or take the trouble to hunt 

 out a sufficient number of examples for himself, will come to the 

 same conclusion. The specimens vary considerably, and it would 

 not be difficult to make a series of all intermediate gradations 

 between L. protea and L. laevis. This, however, is the case with 

 many or most ' species.' I am sorry to have to differ from other 

 authorities, but when, after the exercise of every caution, I find 

 I am right, there is no other course, especially as the others do- 

 not appear to have anything beyond a vague surmise on which to 

 base their opinion." 



There is no doubt great difficulty in distinguishing abnormal 

 examples of L. hispida Reuss from some of the forms of L. protea, 

 Locality : Chiefly Nos. 1, 19, 29. 



