258 Annals of the South African Musmm. 



umbonal ridge is not marked. It may be added that the clavicular 

 ridges of the opposite valves almost ixieet and nearly divide the 

 interior of the shell into two ; the hinge-line is straight, save where 

 it crosses the clavicular ridge just in front of the beaks, and has about 

 35-40 small transverse teeth behind them, and 7-10 (not well pre- 

 served in our specimens) arranged in a more or less fan-like manner 

 between and in front of them. The proportions of our best pre- 

 served cast agree with N. branneri, the length being about 34 

 mm., and the height 23 mm. 



Sharpe's species Cleidophorus ahhreviatus '^' is considerably shorter 

 and higher, and of a subtriangular rather than ovate shape. Maurer's 

 species Cucullella elliptica,i from the European Coblenz Beds, 

 appears to be allied to N. branneri. 



Locality.— {Nos. 92, 97, 94 ?, 12 ?) Gamka Poort. 



NUCULITES CAPENSIS, sp. nov. 



(PI XXXI., figs. 9, 9a.) 



There is one well-preserved specimen (No. 93) of a shell belonging 

 to the genus Nuculites, and showing the internal cast of both valves 

 in apposition which cannot be referred to any species hitherto 

 described. The description of it is as follows : Shell very elongate- 

 ovate in shape, about two and a half times as long as high, widest 

 at about one-third its length from anterior end, narrowing slowly 

 posteriorly and more rapidly anteriorly ; basal margin arcuate ; 

 posterior end narrow ; cardinal line slightly oblique and nearly 

 straight behind umbones, but in front bent downwards at obtuse 

 angle ; anterior end short, rounded. Valves gently convex, rather 

 compressed laterally towards posterior end but becoming more 

 convex towards umbones and anterior end. Umbones incon- 

 spicuous, situated at about one-fifth the length from anterior end of 

 shell, closely appressed, not rising above hinge-line. Hinge-line w^ith 

 30-35 small transverse teeth behind umbones, and a few in front of 

 them. Clavicular ridge strong, obliquely directed backwards, 

 -arising just in front of umbones, and running at angle of about 60° 

 to hinge-line for fully two-thirds the distance across the valves. 

 Pallial line strongly marked parallel to inferior margin and rather 

 ■close to it. 



* Sharpe, op. cit., p. 212, pi. xxvii., fig. 3. 



I Maurer, Fauna rechtsrhein. Unterdevon, (1886), p. 15; Beushausen, oj). cit., 

 p. 104, t. v., figs. 9-15. 



