M. K. A. Zittel on Fossil Calcispongios. 65 



the following one. These rings are traversed by a vertical 

 central tube, extending from the osculum to the base. The 

 wall of the central cavity, the external wall, and the trans- 

 verse floors are repeatedly perforated and furnished with 

 canals, which lead into the interior of the hollow segments. 

 All the walls consist of a tissue of anastomosing calcareous 

 fibres. In certain species the floors of the hollow rings are 

 united to each other by fine vertical processes of the skeletal 

 substance. 



The microstructure of the calcareous skeleton is in general 

 destroyed ; so that, when highly magnified, the fibres merely 

 show a radiate crystalline texture. In a specimen of Verti- 

 cillites anastomosansj Mant., however, from the Aptian of La 

 Presta, I have succeeded in demonstrating that the fibres are 

 composed of usually distinctly triradiate spicules. By this 

 means the relationship of this genus (which in its general 

 habit is most intimately connected with Peronella) to the 

 sponges is established with certainty. 



I am acquainted with various species from the Trias and 

 Lower Cretaceous. 



a. From the Trias. 



1. Scyphia armata, Klipst. Beitr. Taf. xix. figs. 13, 14. 

 Verrucospongia armata, Laube, Fauna von St. Cassian, Taf. i. fig. 10. 



I have obtained, through Dr. Loretz, a number of specimens 

 from the Seeland Alp, which show remarkably well the hollow 

 rings, the somewhat arched horizontal floors, and the perforated 

 wall of the central tube. 



b. From the Cretaceous. 



1. Verticillopora anastomosans, Mant. Wonders of Geol» 

 p. 636. fig. 3 ; Medals, 2nd ed. p. 227. fig. 4, p. 229. fig. 3. 



Verticillopora cmastomosans, Sharpe, Q. J. Gr. S. vol. x. 1854, pi. v. 



%• h 



? Verticillites truncata, D'Orb. Prodr. e"t. xvii. p. 560. 



? Disccelia helvetica, Loriol, Urgon. Land. pi. v. figs. 4-11. 



2. Verticillites digitata, D'Orb. ib. e*t. xix. p. 357. 



3. Verticillites incrassata, D'Orb. ib. et. xx. p. 768. 



4. Thalamopora siphonioides y Mich. Ic. pi. liii. rig. 9. 



5. Verticillites cretaceus 1 Defr. Diet. Sci. JSIat. 1829, 



vol. lviii. p. 5. 



Verticillite d'Ellis, Defr. Diet. Atl. Polyp, pi. xliv. fig. 1. 

 Verticillopora cretacea, Blainv. Man. Act. pi. lxvi. fig. 1. 

 Verticillites crelaceus, Bronn, Leth. Geogn. pi. xxix. fig. 5. 



6. Verticillites Goldfussi, D'Orb. Prodr. et. xxii. 1463. 

 Scyphia verticillites, Goldf. Taf. lxv. fig. 9. 



Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 5. Vol. iv. 5 



