from the Lias and Oolites. 41 
imbedded in the plates of the test, and have in some measure 
injured the surface. 
We dedicate this species to M. Michelin of Paris, the distin- 
guished author of the ‘Iconographie Zoophytologique,’ as a 
tribute of gratitude for the valuable collection of Echinoderms 
he liberally and generously sent us from his unrivalled cabinet, 
to facilitate our studies of these beautiful forms of ancient life. 
Nucleolites scutatus, Lamarck. 
Since the publication of our memoir on the CassipuLipz# of 
the Oolites *, we have received from Professor Deslongchamps 
and M. Tesson a series of type specimens of Nucleolites scutatus 
from the Coral Rag of Trouville, Calvados, which we have com- 
pared with Nucleolites dimidiatus, Phillips, described in that me- 
moir; from this comparison it is certain, that our Wiltshire and 
the Yorkshire Nucleolite, figured by Professor Phillips as NV. dimi- 
diatus, is the true N. scutatus of Lamarck. This circumstance 
affords another example of the great importance of comparing 
all our British Oolitic fossils with those collected from the 
Jurassic strata of the continent of Europe, before assigning them 
a position in our catalogues of species. 
Ophioderma Gaveyi, Wright, 1852. PI. III. fig. 1 a—e. 
Diagnosis.—Disc large, upper surface not exposed, under surface 
with five pairs of heartshaped plates, above which the five rays 
pass ; the median scutal plates of the rays form a ridge in the 
centre of each pair of plates; the mouth-opening is sur- 
rounded with five pairs of very prominent toothlike processes ; 
the rays are slender and gently tapering; the central scutal 
plates on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the rays are 
narrow, those on the ventral surface resemble the bodies of 
small vertebree deprived of their neural elements. 
Transverse diameter of the body-dise 1 inch and ;4ths, trans- 
verse diameter of the rays at their junction with the disc nearly 
7>ths of an inch. 
Description—This Sea-star must have been rather abundant 
in the Liasic sea; we have seen many fine specimens of it, and 
numerous fragments of others in the locality where it was col- 
lected. The body-dise is large and pentagonal, it is composed 
underneath of ten thin, delicate triangular plates arranged in 
pairs, each pair forming a heartshaped shield, having an elevated 
rugose carina down its centre, formed by the’median element 
of the ventral scutal plates which protrudes between each of the 
two plates forming a pair ; the five shields are otherwise smooth 
* Annals of Natural History, vol. ix. 
