Mr La'pworth on the Genus Nemagraptus {Nematolites), 109 



in favour of the MS. term of Nemagrajptidce, proposed by Mr 

 Hopkinson.* At the same time, however, I felt that if Hall 

 was correct in his view of the identity of Ccenographos gracilis, 

 Hall, and Nemagraptus elegans, Emmons, it would be better 

 to regard Nemagraptus capillaris, Emm., as the type of 

 Emmons's genus, and thus both these generic terms would 

 be preserved to science. I was confirmed in this opinion by 

 the discovery of several peculiar forms of Graptolites in the 

 Moffat shales of the south of Scotland. These occur in 

 association with Ccenograptus gracilis, H., and are most 

 intimately allied to that species; but they show most dis- 

 tinctly the capillary stem, the short, irregular, simple 

 branching, and the flexuous character of Emmons's Nema- 

 graptus capillaris. On the other hand, however, when 

 tolerably well preserved, they are seen to be most indubi- 

 tably celluliferous throughout the whole of their extent. 

 Thus Emmons's name Nemagraptus was provisionally re- 

 stricted to these new forms, and Hall's title of Cceno- 

 graptus confined to Graptolithus gracilis, H., and its allies. 



In 1874 the numerous Graptolites collected by Dr Hicks 

 and others from the Arenio- and Llandeilo rocks of St David's 



o 



were placed in the hands of Mr Hopkinson and myself for 

 description. Among them was a most peculiar form which in- 

 stantaneously reminded us of Emmons's problematical Nema- 

 graptus capillaris. The fragments of the Arenig species were 

 in precisely the same state of preservation as the accompany- 

 ing Graptolites; and beyond the apparent absence of any- 

 thing like marginal serrations, there was nothing to suggest 

 their belonging to a different zoological group. The puzzHng 

 and abnormal nature of this fossil wiU be apparent from 

 our description at the time.-j- One point, however, was 

 tolerably clear. If this form were specifically, or even 

 generically, identical with the Nemagraptus capillaris of 

 Emmons, ,the Moffat GraptoHtes previously placed under 

 Nemagraptus would have to be removed from it. 



In 1875 numerous fossils, belonging, without question, to 

 the same generic group as the Nemagraptus capillaris of 



* Geol. Mag., November 1873. 



+ Quart. Journal Geol. Society, vol. xxxi., p. 631. 



