n new Genus of Paheozoic Fossils. 407 



express a positive opinion as to their precise zoological position 

 and relationships. The Scotch specimens were shown to the 

 late Dr. Strethill Wrif^ht, who was unable to throw any light 

 ujion tiieir nature. The same specimens have also been exa- 

 ' mined by Prof. Huxley, F.R.S., who, after considerable hesi- 

 tation, suggested that they might be Protozoans. Our own 

 opinion was at first in favour of their Foraminiferal affinities, 

 as indicated by their calcareous walls and the presence of 

 microscopic foramina, combined with the absence of any aper- 

 ture to each cell. Our friend Mr. H. B. Brady, F.G.S., 

 however, after a protracted examination of both the Scotch and 

 the American forms, has arrived at the conclusion that they 

 cannot be referred to this group. As regards the Scotch 

 specimens (^4. radians) ^ this distinguished authority, in a 

 letter addressed some time ago to one of the present writers, 

 says, " I suspect they are rudimentary portions of rooted 

 Crinoids, but am not at all sure. There has been, in some of 

 them, a central pillar growing perpendicularly to the stellate 

 roots." At this time, however, Mr. Brady had not the ad- 

 vantage of having the American specimens for comparison ; 

 and the unquestionable generic identity of A. radians and 

 A. stellatum renders this hypothesis as to the affinities of 

 the former clearly untenable, to say nothing of the fact 

 that wx should still have to find an explanation for the 

 foramina. 



Leaving the Foraminifera out of sight, the only other group 

 that suggests itself prominently as one to which these pro- 

 blematical organisms might be refen-ed is that of the Polyzoa, 

 In their perforated walls they present a close resemblance to 

 many of the Cheilostomatous Polyzoa, especially to some of 

 the Lepralia^\ and their general habit and mode of growth 

 would also favour this view. On the other hand, it seems 

 difficult to reconcile this view as to their affinities with the 

 unquestionable fact that the cells or vesicles have no other 

 means by which the internal cavity is placed in communica- 

 tion with the exterior, except the microscopic pores in the 

 walls. 



Some of our American specimens {A, fusiforme and A. stel- 

 latum) were kindly submitted by Mr. H. B. Brady to the 

 Rev. Mr. Hincks, who suggested that they were possibly 

 allied to the recent Anguinaria\ Our A. fusiforvie certainly 

 presents a close superficial resemblance to the creeping base of 

 Anguinaria [jEtea) spatidata ; but in the absence of any 

 evidence in the fossils of the existence of erect cells with dis- 

 tinct apertures for the polypides, it would be hazardous to re- 

 gard this suggestion as being more than a conjecture. The 



