NEWTON : LOWER TERTIARY MOLLCSCA OF THE FAYUM. 79 



the London Clay, the Brackleshara and Barton Beds of England, and, 

 according to Von. Koeuen, in the Lower Oligocene deposits of Northern 

 Germany (Helmstadt). 



Formation. — Lutetian (Middle Eocene). 



Locality. — Xear Qasr el Sagha (Dr. C. W. Andrews). 



Melongena Andrewsf, n.sp. PI. IV, Figs. 5, 6. 



Shell ovately pyriform, thick, solid, smooth, regularly margined ; 

 whorls depressed, only slightly elevated, slightly concave, increasing 

 about one-third, vertical, subangulate, and narrowlj- exposed at the 

 suture ; base terminating in a narrow short canal, and laterally 

 furnished with a thickened, transversely twisted, semicircular wall, 

 which circumscribes an elongate umbilical cavity ; aperture elongate, 

 narrow, slightly dilated, bending moderately inwards at base to form 

 anterior canal, posteriorly angulated and oblique ; columella smooth, 

 covered with an extensive callus, which extends considerably over the 

 umbilical excavation; sculpture consisting of microscopically fine and 

 obscure spiral striations, crossed by numerous and much more evident 

 longitudinal lines of growth, arranged more or less in etjuidistant 

 groups, wdiich curve outwards in their descent, then inwards, becoming 

 part of the twisted umbilical wall at the base. Height 52, diam. 35 mm. 



Remarks. — This shell, on account of its robust and thick test, is in 

 a remarkably good state of preservation. It is one of the smooth and 

 regiilarly margined examples of Melongena, being related among recent 

 shells to the form of Pyrxan faradi&iacum of Martini, as adopted by 

 Reeve under the genus Pyrula {Conchologia Iconica, 1847, pi. v, 

 fig. 175), which may possess either a nodulose or smooth spiral region. 

 The fossil is also characterized by the closely fitting, depressed, and 

 only slightly elevated whorls, which are nearly on the same plane, and 

 by the umbilical details at the base. The extremely fine ornamentation 

 of the surface, when well preserved, amounts almost to a delicate 

 decussation. 



It may be mentioned that Mayer-Eymar has described 3Ielovyena 

 {Piigilina) Koeneni from the Lutetian (Upper Parisian) of ' Jebel 

 Schweinfurth ' to the south of Dime in the Fayum (Journ. Conchyl., 

 vol. xlvi, p. 233, pi. xiv, fig. 1, 1898), which differs from the present 

 shell in possessing strong spiral ridges, a modulated spire, and 

 marginal irregularities. 



The specimen appears to represent quite a new tj'pe of shell among 

 fossil moUusca, and I am not aware of any similar form having been 

 recorded from the Lower Tertiary strata of Northern Africa, Europe, 

 or India. 



According to M. Cossraann {Essais de PaUoconchologie Comparee, 

 1901, pt. iv, pp. 85, 86) the true j\lelongena commenced in the 

 Oligocene (Tongrian) period, and is living at the present day in 

 the Indian Ocean. The specific name is suggested in honour of the 

 collector, Dr. C. "W. Andrews, F.R.8., of the British Museum, to 

 whom we are indebted for our knowledge of the fossil vertebrata of 

 the Fayum province of Egypt. 



Formation. — Lutetian (Middle Eocene). 



Locality. — Near Qasr el Sagha (Dr. C. "W". Andrews). 



VOL. X. — JUNE, 1912. 6 



