ON a HE CABBONIFEROUS POLYZOA. 81 



Mr. King, — Mr. Etheridge says, ' I Lave ascertained that our Scotcli fossil 

 agrees so closely in its main characters ' with the American species, 

 ' that it can be only regarded as a variety of it.' ' 



To Si/nocladia hiserialis Mr. Meek also refers Septopora cestriensis, Prout, 

 ' a form which appears to differ only from the typical species of Synocladia 

 by having from one to four rows of cell- apertures on the dissepiment 

 instead of two.' ^ 



In 1878, Prof. Young and Mr. John Yonng published ^ details oE 

 another Synocladia, which they called Synocladia (?) scotica from the 

 Upper Limestone Shales, Gillfoot and Grarple Burn stating that ' in both 

 localities it is very rare.' If we accept the depai'ture from the original 

 type of Synocladia, which I have no objection to, seeing that Prof. King 

 nses the term for Palaeozoic Polyzoa alone, then these two species of the 

 genus may be recorded as existing in Carboniferous times. They have 

 the ' small irregular vesicles alternating with the pores,' not unique with 

 this genus, for several others contain a ' secondary pore.' Having exam- 

 ined this secondary pore in thin sections of Carb. species, I can only 

 account for its presence as being indicative of the existence of a vibra- 

 cula in these ancient types. There are, however, most essentially definite 

 characters in the Carb. Synocladia yet to be accounted for. Very fre- 

 quently, in even the smallest fragments, pores, similar to the secondary 

 pores on the face, are constantly found on the reverse also. I know of 

 no analogy in more recent fossil or living species to which I can refer to 

 account for this feature in this ancient type. 



1873. Garinella cellulifera, R. Etheridge, Jun. 

 1876. Goniocladia cellulifera, R. Etheridge, Jun. 



This is a good typical genus and species, both well described. 



Generic and specific ch. — Polyzoarium composed of angular, irregularly 

 disposed anastamozing bi-anches, strongly carinate on both aspects, 

 but celluliferous only on one. No regular dissepiments ; the branches 

 bifurcate and reunite with one another to form hexagonal, pentagonal, or 

 polygonal fenestrules of most irregular form. On each side the keel of 

 the poriferous aspect are three alternating lines of cell-apertures.** The 

 genus and sp., for there is only one, is well illustrated in the ' Geo. 

 Mag.,' 1873. 



1849. Thamniscus, King Permian Fos. 



1873. Mr. Rob. Etheridge indicates the possible existence of a species 

 of this genus in our Scotch Carbonif. rocks. ' The portions obtained are 

 fragments of a robust, branching coralline, with a nearly circular section. 

 . The cells are very pustulose or wartlike, with prominent raised 

 margins. . . . The disposition of the cells and mode of branching is 

 exceedingly like that seen in Thamniscus dubius, Schl. ... As the 

 margins (of the cells) in the present form are decidedly raised and promi- 

 nent, might it not probably be a species of Thamniscus ? If it be a now 

 species of Polypora, I would propose for it the specific designation of 

 P. pustulata.' ^ 



' Sheet 23, Scotch Geo. Survey. 

 2 Ibid. Expl. of Sheet 23. 



' Proceed. Nat. Hist. Sac. of Glasgow, April, 1878. 

 * Geo. May., 1873 and 1876. Expl. of Sheet 23, Scotcli Survey, p. 101. 

 ^ Expl. of Sheet 23, Appendix, p. 102. 

 1880. G 



