IDEAS OF THE EAELY AUTHOES 53 



tematic view of the class Cephalopoda (1826), in 

 which he separates the Foraminifera from the rest of 

 the group. ^ D'Orbigny divided the class Cephalopodes 

 as follows : Order I., Cryptodibranches ; (3rder II., 

 Siphoniferes ; Order III., Foraminiferes. The last- 

 named order was distinguished by having a cham- 

 bered shell, with communications between them by 

 means of holes or foramina in the septa. Hence the 

 name Foeaminifera (hole-bearers). The foramina 

 are in reality the stolon passages between the cham- 

 bers, and not the tubules or perforations of the outer 

 shell wall, as is sometimes mistakenly asserted, which 

 are only characteristic of one of the divisions of the 

 Foraminifera. This distinction will be seen on 

 reference to fig. 20. 



Various other names, such as Teematophores, 

 PoLYTHALAMiA, and Thalamophora, have been used for 

 designating this group, but the term Foraminifera 

 has obtained the widest acceptance among natu- 

 ralists. 



Finally, to Dujardin (1835) the credit is due for 

 conclusively proving that the Foraminifera are not 

 cephalopodous molluscs, but that they are of much 

 lower organisation, and that their relationship is 

 with the Ehizopoda. 



Since that time Ehrenberg, Williamson, Car- 

 penter, Carter, Parker, and Rupert Jones, as the 

 pioneers in the discovery of facts concerning this 

 important group of animals, have been followed by a 



' See ' Tableau Methodique de la Classe des Cephalopodes,' in Annales 

 dcs Sciences NatnreUeN, vol. vii. p. 245. 



