200 Mr. J. Lycett on the Gryphsea of the Bed 



Alliance among Polypetalse, and Phytolaccacese, Petiveriacese, 

 and Proteaceae among Apetalse, are the more remarkable excep- 

 tions ; but this apparent inconsistency might be obviated by ex- 

 tending the Leguminous Alliance along the vacant space so as 

 nearly to approach Rosacese, and by placing Phytolaccaceae, Pe- 

 tiveriacese and Proteacese opposite Nyctaginese and Daphnacese ; 

 but as this would obscure the design of the Table, it is thought 

 better to leave them so far misplaced. 



It should be observed also, that this Table partially differs 

 from Table II. in the distribution of the families of the Protero- 

 carpous section of Monopetal?e, as the true station of Sapotacese, 

 from a more recent analysis, appears rather to be between Ebe- 

 nacese and Salvadoracese, and nearer the latter ; and Convolvu- 

 lacese are placed in the Phytolaccal Subdivision. The Lauro- 

 Elseagnal and Daphnal subdivisions are also folded over the Poly- 

 gonal, by which separations between some near allies are avoided. 



XVIII. — Note on the Gryphsea of the Bed called Ghyphite Grit 

 in the Cotteswolds. By John Lycett, Esq. 



The lower bed of the upper ragstones in the Cotteswold Inferior 

 Oolite exhibits an immense profusion of a well-known Grj'phaa, 

 and this circumstance, together with the very limited strati- 

 graphical range of the shell, combines to render it of much 

 importance to the geologist, as it affords a certain guide to that 

 portion of the Inferior Oolite. This Gryphsea has been univer- 

 sally accepted as the G. cymbium of Lamarck, but the position 

 of that species upon the continent is known to be the Middle 

 Lias, of which it is considered to be one of the characteristic 

 forms, and a reference to thefitiures and descriptions of Lamarck^s 

 shell proves that it is perfectly distinct from the Cotteswold 

 species. In the first edition of the ' Geology of Cheltenham,' by 

 Sir R. Murchison, the Gryphsea is tabulated G. cijmbium, and 

 this name was copied into the second edition, in which however, 

 fortunately, an illustration was given of it at pi. 7. fig. 3. 

 Subsequent lists of Inferior Oolite fossils have included Gryphaa 

 cymbium. It does not appear that Lamarck's species has been 

 recognised in the lias of England ; it possesses a general resem- 

 blance to G. incurva and G. obliquata, except that the larger 

 valve has much less convexity, the beak is much less incurved, 

 and has a small area by which it was attached to other bodies ; 

 the upper valve is also much larger ; the margins of the valves 

 are regular and not sinuous ; the height of the shell always much 

 exceeds the lateral diameter, sometimes in the proportion of 6 

 inches by 3 ; it is nearly, and in some instances perhaps alto- 



