724 CRETACEOUS PALEONTOLOGY. 



Family DOLIIDAB 



Genus PYRULA Lamark. 



Pyrula precedens (Whitfield). 



Plate LXXXIV., Figs. 3-4. 



1892. Fkus precedens Whitf., Pal. N. J., vol. 2 (Monog. U. S. 

 G. S., vol. 18), p. 122, pi. 15, figs. 7-8. 



Description. "Shell small, pyriform; volutions about three, 

 very ventricose, inflated in the upper part, rapidly attenuated 

 below and contracted to form a moderately long, slender canal 

 and beak, which is very slightly bent; spire low, but the inner 

 volutions distinctly showing above the outer ones, with a well- 

 defined suture; aperture elongate-elliptical, prolonged below to 

 the end of the canal, which is very narrow; surface of the 

 shell marked by 12 principal prominent, spiral carina, between 

 which there is in each space a single subordinate ridge showing 

 on the cast; toward the lower part of the volution and on the 

 beak they are more equal in size, and on the body of the volu- 

 tion the principal carina are nodose, or serrated, from the cross- 

 ing of transverse ribs which pass across the volution in a nearly 

 straight line parallel to the margin of the outer lip of the aper- 

 ture. In a fragment of the matrix, from near the inner part of 

 the outer whorl the principal spiral ridges are seen to be sharply 

 carinate, and the transverse strise fine and numerous; columella 

 without ridges or folds of any kind." (Whitfield.) 



Remarks. No specimens which can be referred to this 

 species have been met with in the recent collections of the Sur- 

 vey, and the type seems to have been lost or destroyed. The 

 species resembles some of those which have been referred to 

 the genus Pyropsis or Perrisolax, especially P. retifer. The 

 casts of P. precedens, however, do not show so large a columellar 

 cavity and the anterior beak is more slender. The spiral ridges 

 are also more numerous and more sharply elevated than in P. 

 retifer, and the decided alternation among them is a distinguish- 

 ing character. 



Formation and locality. Navesink marl, Holmdel (Whit- 

 field). 



Geographic distribution. New Jersey. 



