244 Mr. H. B. Brady on Keramosphera. 
of a plane projected through a mass of chamberlets so arranged 
that they are necessarily intersected at different angles. 
It may be noticed that although the section (fig. 3) passes 
through nearly the centre of the shell, it does not show any 
distinct primordial chamber. It is probable, therefore, that 
the initial chamber is of small size, perhaps scarcely distin- 
guishable from the chamberlets, as is often the case in Orbi- 
tolites of the simple type. The early layers are comparatively 
thin and the constituent chamberlets small; and either for 
this reason or because the central portion of the section hap- 
pens to be thicker than the rest, the structure appears some- 
what confused. 
Referring to fig. 4, which represents a portion of the sec- 
tion near the periphery, much more highly magnified, it will 
be seen that the communication between the successive layers 
is maintained by tubular orifices, a, a,a,a, one at the margin 
of each chamberlet, and that these orifices are set obliquely 
close to the line of union with the contiguous chamberlets. In 
the external layer they serve collectively as the general aperture 
of the test, and correspond to the peripheral pores of the Orbito- 
lite ; but they are not so conspicuous on the exterior, owing to 
their peculiar position and oblique setting. ‘The chamberlets 
of the successive layers are neither regularly alternating, as in 
the simple Orbitolite, nor directly superimposed ; and although 
there is a certain degree of uniformity in their relative posi- 
tions, they are too variable in size and shape to conform to 
any rule in this particular. 
The communication between the chamberlets of the same 
layer is maintained by short lateral stoloniferous tubes, which 
are less easy to identify than those uniting the successive layers 
already described. ‘They are shown, in section, in fig. 4, 6, d, 
b, 6. Under favourable conditions one such opening is found 
near each end of the chamberlet ; and as a section only shows 
one side of the chamberlet, there is probably a lateral orifice 
communicating with each contiguous chamberlet. 
Notwithstanding a certain analogy to the genus Orditolites, 
it is manifest that the organism described in the foregoing 
paragraphs represents a very distinct and independent type of 
Foraminifera. I propose to constitute a new genus for its 
reception, with the name Keramosphera (képapos, porcelain, 
and cdaipa, a globe) ; and I am gratified to be able to associate 
with the species the name of Mr. John Murray, F.R.S.E., the 
present editor of the ‘Challenger’ Reports, by whom my 
attention was first directed to it, and by whose leave this pre- 
liminary notice is published. The following characters will 
serve for its distinction, pending the discovery of addi- 
tional species. 
