10 SYEIAN MOLLUSCAN FOSSILS. 



where only Cretaceous strata have as 3'et been detected. The inference 

 is justified by the identity of mineral character observed in the specimens 

 from both the Merrill and Bird collections. All are pyritiferous, and bear 

 externally a bright metallic gloss, mentioned by Fi\aas as marking the 

 Ammonites of this bed of Ornati Clay, which are, in his own words, ulle 

 glanzend verJdest. 



It is known that the pupils of the mission stations established at Mejdel 

 esh Shems and Abeih are encoui'aged by their teachers to gather up the 

 fossils which abound in both districts, and that by them has been brought 

 together a large part of the fine collection now exhibited in the college at 

 Beirut. It was probably from the station at Mejdel esh Shems that these 

 Jurassic Annnonites were procured. 



The specimens are all in excellent condition, generally retaining the 

 delicate test, which is, however, in some instances removed or worn thin, so 

 as to show the complicated lobes of the septa. 



In accordance Avith the foregoing statement, all may be considered as 

 coming from Mejdel esh Shems and the Ornati Clay. 



Ammonites convolutus Schlotheim. 



^. Nautilus polygyratm Reinecke, 1818, Nautili et Avgonautee, p. 73, PI. v, figs. 45, 46. 



Ammonites convolutus ScHLOTHEnr, 1S20, Petrefacteukuude, p. 69. 



Ammonites convolutus ornati Quexstedt, 1S19, Ceplialopodeii, p. 168, PI. xiii, fig. 1. 



Six specimens. The largest, having a diameter of 24 mm., width of last 

 whorl, 9 mm., thickness of same, 9 mm., answers well to Quenstedt's figure, 

 and precisely to that of Loriol and Pellat (Monogr. des Etag. sup. de la For- 

 mat. Jurass. de Boulogne-sur-Mer, p. 35, PL i, fig. 18), which represents an 

 example from Baden, at first " faussement attribuee a Y Am. Quehenensis " 

 Loriol, 1873, but, it is added, " qui appartient au group de YAm. poh)<j!jratmr 

 The ribs of this specimen curve forwards more than do those of the species 

 communis Sow. and plimiilk Sow., while they are finer than in the former and 

 coarser than in the latter. Many of the ribs are trifurcate as they pass over 

 the back ; others are bifurcate. Coll. Bird. 



There are, besides, five much smaller specimens, varjing in diameter 

 from Vl\ ram. down to 8 mm., and which I take to be the young ol" 

 this species. These are from Dr. Merrill, who obtained them at Mejdel 

 e.sh Shems. 



