160 FAMILY LAGENIDA. 



described and figured under other names bv preceding systcmatists. Tiius LuintKus (lxiii), 

 under the all-comprehensive designation 3««(^//«5, enumerated as distinct species no fewer than 

 seven Nodosarian forms and one Cristellarian ; pointing out in regard to tlie latter its special 

 tendency to pass into varieties. Some of the Nodosarian forms were figured and described 

 by Soldani (c, cl) under the designation Orfhoceratia ,- while some examples of the Cristel- 

 larian were ranked under Naidili(s, and others under Leniicida. Of the varietal forms of 

 jS'autiliis {Cristellaria) calcar T[ioi\ce([h\ lAn^nxxxs,, seven distinct -ipeciex were made by Walker 

 and Montagu (lxv). These varieties, however, with many more, were brought together again 

 by Fichtel and Moll (xlv), who showed the same right appreciation of the value of subor- 

 dinate differences in regard to this type, that they displayed with respect to others. Precisely 

 the opposite line was taken, according to his wont, by DeMontfort (lxvi), who made from the 

 varieties of Crislellariacalcar no fewer than ihhieen neio fjenera, only one of which has been ac- 

 cepted by later systematists. Besides introducing the generic names Nodosaria and Crixtellaria, 

 Lamarck (lix) re\-ived the name Oiihoeera as the designation of certain Nodosarian forms, 

 and applied the term Lenticuliies to one of the varieties of Crist ell ai- la calcar ; his idea of the 

 real nature of the genera which he created being so vague, that he assembled under the term 

 Cristellaria examples of the genera Peneroplis, Polj/stomella, Hotalia, and Plaiwrhidina, in 

 addition to true Crldellaria ; whilst under Nodosar'ni he actually placed a Scrpidi). The 

 genus Frondictdaria was created by Defi'ance (xxix) ; and he also erected two of the varietal 

 forms of Cristellaria into the genera Planularia and Saraceiiaria, of which the former was for 

 a time adopted by D'Orl)igny, whilst the latter was adopted by Blainville (vi), who also 

 adopted two of De Montfort's genera, Oreas and Linthuris, and added another of his own, 

 Crepididina. It was by D'Orbigny,' however, that the greatest number of those generic dis- 

 tinctions were invented, which have passed into currency on his authority ; his original 

 ' Tableau Methodique' having included Glandidina, Dentalina, Lincjulina, Piinidina, Vnyimdiiut, 

 Mari/iin/li)ia, Pobidina, and Dimorphina, together with others which he subsequently 

 abandoned, in addition to the Nodosaria, Urthucrrina, and Cristellaria of Lamarck, and the 

 Frondicularia of Defrance. The genus Flabcllina was added to the foregoing in 1839 (lxxi). 

 Of these, thirteen were ranked in his order Sticl/osth/ues, their line of growth being either 

 straight or slightly curved; three as belonging to the Helicostf'fjuex , their growth always com- 

 mencing in a spiral, though it does not always continue on the same plan ; whilst one is 

 disjoined from its congeners and referred to the order Enallosfeyucs, because in its early 

 growth its chambers seem to alternate on three sides of a central axis. It is acknowledged by 

 M. D'Orbigny (lxxiii), however, that between Muryiaidina, the last genus qIVx?, Hiichosteyues, 

 and Cristellaria, the first genus of his Helicosterpies there is " un passage evident; " the most 

 curved forms of the one passing into the least curved forms of the other; and Prof. 

 Williamson (ex, p. 25) has expresssed himself as unable to separate these two genera; 

 remarking that the Cristellaria Berthelofiana of D'Orbigny '• has no greater curvature than his 

 Maryinida Wchbiana ; and in like manner his C. ci/mboides has even a smaller one than Iiis 

 J/. /vfffoy;/, or than occurs in numerous other species of the same genus." "The variations 

 of the two English species of Cristellaria," he continues, " satisfy me that the characters 

 which distinguish Cristellaria from Margiuidina are insufficient to be specific, much less 

 generic ones." So, again. Prof. Williamson (p. 22) expresses his conviction that the genus 

 Vaginidina of D'Orbigny is not reallv distinguishable from Beiilalina ,■ the characters by which 



