1902. ^^^ 



SOME FORAMINIFERA FROM RATHEIN ISEAND. 



BY JOSEPH WRIGHT, F.G.S. 



Pi. ATE 3. 



During several visits to Ballycastle in recent years Messrs. 

 Chaster, Hardy, Standen, and Welch spent some time dredg- 

 ing in Rathlin Sound and Church Bay. As the dredgings 

 were undertaken with the view of collecting shells only, the 

 sieves which were used for the washing of the material were 

 those best fitted for that purpose, and were not fine enough for 

 retaining organisms so small as Foraminifera. The specimens 

 found by me in the material consisted for the greater part of 

 the larger forms, and in all probability nearly all the smaller 

 ones got washed away with the fine material ; this no doubt 

 is the reason why a number of species usually met with 

 around the Irish coasts were not found in these gatherings. 



One of the most interesting forms met with was Botdlina 

 labyi-hithica. This species had some years previously been 

 found in considerable abundance in a dredging taken about 

 midway between Belfast Lough and Portpatrick, at a depth of 

 100 fathoms (i) ; the only previous record for this fine species 

 being the Faroe Channel, where it was obtained in some 

 abundance on the third cruise of the "Porcupine," 1869, at a 

 depth of 440 fathoms ("). It may be here also stated that a very 

 small but perfect specimen of Frondicularia Millettii was 

 obtained many 3'ears ago in a dredging taken off Portrush« 

 Both of these .species are now recorded as new to the British 

 fauna. 



In my report of the Foraminifera of the South-West of Ire- 

 land during the cruise of the '"Flying F^alcon," 1888 (^), I 

 recorded TextiUaria sagithda^ Defrance, under the name of 

 Spiropleda sagittula. On this occasion the specimens were 

 examined under the microscope with reflected light only, and 



(^) Second dredging cruise ss. " Protector," Belfast Nat. Field Club, 

 1886. 

 («) Brad3\ ''Challeuger" Report, p. 280. 

 (') Proc. Roy, Irish Acad.^ 1891. 



