IN THE MUD OF THE LEVANT. 35 



of the latter are always concave anteriorly, in the 

 former they are always convex. The other is 

 that, whilst in the Nautilus the tube or calcareous 

 part of the siphuncle, always projects hacknards 

 from each septum, in Forarainifera the reverse 

 always holds good, two distinctions which are of 

 essential importance in deciding upon their affin- 

 ities * Owing to the observant genius and skill of 

 Ehrenberg, the opinion that these curious organ- 

 isms are Bryozoa or Moss corals may now be con- 

 sidered as established beyond all dispute. They 

 are thus brought down from their position amongst 

 the highest and most perfectly developed mollusks 

 to rank amongst the lowest forms of animal life. 



There are one or two points connected with 

 their history which I have not found noticed by 

 any of the observers who have written on the 

 subject, and to which I will presently direct 

 attention. The Levant mud contains a great 

 variety of these interesting organisms ; indeed, 

 in the time of Soldani (1730), both the Adriatic 

 and the Mediterranean were celebrated for their 

 riches in this department. I have accompanied 



* In the genus Endosoleniuj Elir. we have an apparent ex- 

 ception to this rule ; but it only jueseuts a single cell. 



