288 PEOCEEDINGS OF THP: MALACOLOGICAL SOCIEIY. 



then new specific name, flammigera. Subsequently James de Carle 

 Sowerby completed the history of his father's species by publishing 

 another figure of this shell which included the peculiar zigzag 

 markings. In this representation it is noticeable that the stripes 

 are seen to occur beneath the encircling band as well as above it. 

 The later Sowerby also recognized that Phillips's flammigera was 

 synonymous with the earlier carinata. 



The late Professor L. de Koninck included this species in his genus 

 Mourlonia. The specimen now figured has been slightly restored on 

 account of its basal contour being more or less fractured in places. 



The specimen is in the British Museum [G. 130]. 



PELECYPODA. 

 Synctclonema Soweebyi (McCoy). PI. XXIV, Fig. 11. 

 Pecien Sowcrhji, McCoy : "A. Synopsis of the Characters of the 

 Carboniferous Fossils of Ireland," 1844, p. lUO, pi. xiv, fig. 1. 



Formation. — Bernician. 



Locality. — Kildare, Ireland. 



This valve is furnished with about eight fairly stout, divaricating 

 bands, extending to both the anterior and posterior margins and 

 equally divided from each other, the apices of the angles being quite 

 central and directed dorsally. The bauds form slightly roughened 

 grooves, as if the pigment material which originally filled them had 

 decomposed on account of its constituents being of a softer nature than 

 the shell - structure itself. Fine and closely - arranged concentric 

 striations are also present on this valve, forming its sculpture. 

 McCoy's original figure obscurely indicates the presence of such 

 bands, although they were not referred to in the descriptive text. 



From a later study of the species McCoy found that by removing 

 the top, very thin, superficial layer of the shell he disclosed "a number 

 of small, interrupted zigzag and divaricating, scratch-like markings " 

 ("Systematic Description of the British Palaeozoic Fossils," 1855, 

 p. 478). 



Mr. Etheridge, jun., subsequently made a study of the shell (Geol. 

 Mag., 1874, p. 300, pi. xiii, figs. 1, 2), especially in connection with 

 the peculiar V-shaped markings or grooves, referred to by McCoy, 

 and which he stated occurred on the " inner lamina of the shell." 



Another important contribution in connection with this species was 

 the re-figuring of McCoy's original specimen by "W. H. Baily 

 ("Figures of Characteristic British Fossils," 1875, p. 113, pi. xxxix, 

 fig. 3), who directed attention to the " wavy bands of colour-markings 

 in addition to the concentric lines of growth." The markings, of 

 which seven can be counted on the figure, were stated to be of 

 a "burnt umber colour." 



The shell evidently exhibits considerable variation so far as these 

 markings are concerned. A specimen in the British Museum [30355] 

 possesses more than twenty divaricating bands stretching across the 

 valve, although near the basal margin these appear to be replaced by 

 a number of zigzag strise ; and all these patterns are well indented. 



