92 



from the recent shell. Another of my Hampton fossils seems to possess 

 the characters of D. dentalis. 



The fossils which I possess of this genus are chiefly Italian. Among 

 these I perceive, ]. D. fossile, Linn, approaching, by its numerous small 

 longitudinal decussated striae, to D. striatulum ; but differing from that 

 shell in not being angulated ; and in the cone, which it forms, diminish- 

 ing more slowly towards its apex. 2. D. sexangulum, Linn. In this shell, 

 the minuter striae, interposed between the large angular ones, vary in 

 their number from one to three. Some of these fossils possess all the cha- 

 racters of this species, but have their longitudinal striae interrupted by 

 obliquely-disposed, transverse, or annular striae, placed at various dis- 

 tances. These, perhaps, should be considered as D. annulatum. 



In the collection of Mr. Strange were some silicious casts, formed in 

 the cavities ofdentalites. These, being partly transparent, and partly of 

 the whiteness and opacity of china, have a very beautiful appearance. 

 I am totally uninformed, as to the place in which they were found, 

 but suspect them to have been formed in the fossils above described, 

 from Italy. 



This shell is filled by one of the Vermes, possessing exterior organs, 



LXIX. Vermicularia. A tubular shell, turned spirally at its begin- 

 ning, but continued more or less contorted : the sides entire, through 

 its whole length, and the opening simple and round. The inhabitant a 

 cephalous mollusca. 



Fossil specimens of shells of this genus appear to be by no means rare : 

 silicious specimens are found in the green sandy stratum in Wiltshire. I 

 have also specimens, from the collection of Mr. Strange, which were ob- 

 tained by that gentleman from the hills of Tuscany. To one very fine 

 fossil, which Mr. Strange considered worthy of being made the subject 

 of an engraving of Gregori, after a drawing of Bonati, a piece of lace 

 coral is attached, with a tubular shell, having the appearance of being 

 formed by a series of funnel-formed bodies, the narrow parts of the supe- 

 rior being inserted in the wider parts of the inferior. 



