344 Geological Society. 



nummuline lajer like Eozoon ; and so he doubted their Foraminiferal 

 character. With regard to the mineralization, he had some years 

 before received specimens of fossils from Canada, which Dr. Dawson's 

 description had recalled to his mind, 



Mr. Champeknowne described the tubular structure which he had 

 observed in some of the Stromatoporidae from Devonshire, both in 

 the horizontal and vertical sections, and felt certain that the group 

 contained many different forms. He had never seen Eozoonal 

 structure in the Devonshire fossils. 



Dr. MtJKiE stated that some specimens which he had seen resem- 

 bled the Hexactinellidse, and he thought they represented sponges, 

 not precisely Hexactinellids. 



5. " On a new Species of Loftusia from British Columbia," By 

 George M. Dawson, D.Sc, F.G.S., Assoc. R. S. M., of the Geological 

 Survey of Canada. 



The specimens on which the genus Loftusia was founded in 1869 

 were brought from Persia by Mr. Loftus ; and the rock from which 

 they were derived was conjecturally assigned to the earliest Ter- 

 tiaries. The species now described {L. columhiana) is found in a 

 limestone probably of Carboniferous age, and occurs in the banks of 

 Marble Canon, Frazer lliver. This limestone appears to be very 

 thick, but may be repeated by folds. Crinoidal columns and Fusii- 

 lince have been sparingly found in it. Where the Loftusia is abun- 

 dant it becomes almost the sole fossil ; and it sometimes occurs as 

 numerously as Glohlgeriiue in the Atlantic ooze. 



Loftusia columhiana differs from L. persica in size, its longer dia- 

 meter averaging about 0-3 inch, and its shorter one 0-19-0'2 inch. 

 No regular furrowing of the outer surface has been observed, but 

 some specimens show a tendency to acervuline growth. The struc- 

 ture is very like that of L. persica as described by Mr. Brady, 

 although the nucleus is not quite so distinctly cancellated ; the test 

 consists of a primary layer coiled upon itself, with " secondary " 

 septa very oblique to it, and "tertiary" columns expanding at the 

 outer ends into cross-like " rafters," supporting the roof formed by 

 the primary lamina. A loose cancellated growth also depends from 

 the roof between these rafters, analogous to a more regular structure 

 observed in L. persica. The usual number of convolutions is about 

 10 ; but as many as 17 have been observed. 



June 19, 1878.— Prof. Prestwich, M.A., F.E.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " On Pelanechinus, a new Genus of Sea-urchin from the Coral 

 Rag." By W. Keeping, Esq., B.A., F.G.S., Professor of Geology in 

 the University College of Whales. 



In 1855 an Echinid was described by Dr. T. Wright, from very 

 fragmentary specimens, under the name of Hemicidaris corallina. 



