190 Annals of the South African Museum. 



the whorl is not nearly so highly arched in section as in H. cither stoni. 

 In this character, the specimen shown by Baumberger in his text- 

 figure 115 agrees more closely. The whorl-section shown in fig. 114, 

 on the other hand, is not quite so highly arched in proportion, and 

 seems to agree better with that shown by the South African 

 specimens described below as H. cf. atherstoni. As regards the 

 development of constrictions, these, if truly developed, are so in- 

 conspicuous in South African specimens that they can scarcely 

 be detected, and they never form a feature like that shown in 

 Baumberger's text-figure 116. 



It must be admitted that much remains to be known about the 

 true H. atherstoni. As yet, we are without information regarding 

 the limits of individual variation, the characters of shape and 

 sculpture in successive growth-stages from early youth onwards, 

 and the course of the septal suture throughout the individual de- 

 velopment. This information can only be obtained by the exami- 

 nation of an extensive suite of specimens, and in the meantime it is 

 not possible to form a decided opinion on the question of identity 

 with the Swiss specimens dealt with by Baumberger. It seems 

 necessary, with the present imperfect data for comparison, to regard 

 that question as still awaiting settlement. At the same time, we 

 may presume the relationship between these Swiss and South 

 African forms to have been so intimate as to furnish further highly 

 suggestive evidence for a correlation between the Uitenhage beds 

 and the strata situated about the base of the Hauterivian in 

 Europe. 



It may be noted that Baumberger gives reasons for considering 

 that the form from the Hauterivian of the Maritime Alps ascribed 

 by Kilian * to H. atherstoni, is not identical with the supposed 

 H. atherstoni from the Swiss Jura, above discussed. 



It has been stated by Sayn and Eoman that Holcosteplianus 

 atherstoni occurs in the Hauterivian inferieur at localities in 

 Languedoc.f In answer to an inquiry concerning this French form, 

 M. Eoman very courteously sent me three specimens from the Lower 

 Hauterivian of Saturargues (Herault) which had been determined by 

 M. Kilian. Two of the specimens were named H. atherstoni, and 

 the third, a very finely ribbed example, somewhat flattened laterally 

 by crushing, bore the name H. sayni Kilian. After a careful exami- 

 nation of these three specimens I was unable to satisfy myself that 

 they represented two separate species. All three are very finely 



* Kilian (4), p. 865, pi. Ivii., fig. 1. 



t Sayn and Eoman (1), pp. 623, 625, 629, 632, 638, 639. 



