1 899 J F o O R d . — Carbon ifcrous Bra ch iopoda and Mo llusca . 8 5 



in extending the geographical range of this peculiar Nautiloid 

 and in linking together, as it were, the two most widely 

 separated members of the Carboniferous rocks of Europe. 



A variety of coiled shells, some disc-shaped, such as 

 Discites, others of an inflated form, such as Ccelonautilus, 

 accompany those above described, and testify to the rich- 

 ness of the Cephalopod fauna in the Carboniferous seas of the 

 European area, and this holds good also for the American. 



Though beginning in the period preceding that of the 

 Carboniferous, viz., the Devonian, the Goniatites are well 

 represented also in the former, and the Irish rocks of this 

 date have a fair share of them. They died out in the Permian 

 period. 



The Goniatites are all closely coiled shells of varying form, 

 but essentially disc-like. They possess the zigzag (not simple) 

 suture-line which is one of the distinguishing marks of the 

 Ami}io?widea, to which great group they belong. The chief 

 interest in them from the palaeontological point of view 

 centres in the well founded assumption that they were the 

 precursors, through intermediate types, of the Ammonites 

 which nourished in such vast numbers in the Mesozoic era. 



The preceding brief account of some of the commoner 

 types of Brachiopoda and Mollusca found in the Carboniferous 

 Limestone will, it is hoped, lead to a reawakened interest in a 

 branch of science the pursuit of which in this country has 

 been long neglected. There is no part of the United Kingdom 

 which gives better promise of important palaeontological 

 results than does Ireland, if the limestone quarries so thickly 

 dotted over the country were duly laid under contribution by 

 local workers and their treasures thoroughly investigated. 

 What has been done in past years may easily be observed by 

 paying a visit to the Museum of Science and Art, in which the 

 Geological Survey, " Griffith," and other collections of Irish 

 Carboniferous fossils are displayed and stored. These repre- 

 sent gatherings from all parts of the country, as a glance at 

 the localities on the labels will show. Valuable additions may 

 be made to these collections by those who will take up the 

 subject and work at it con a?nore. There are several groups 

 that need revision ; among them I may mention the Polyzoa, 

 a difficult but very interesting group, and one that will repay 



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