43G Rev. E. Ashington Bullen — 



mud. It is full of Foraminifera, many of them in a very good state 

 of preservation. The sand is described as fossil, but it is probably of 

 late Post-Tertiary age. The shells are essentially similar to those 

 from the recent beaches, and there is no trace of mineral infiltration. 



" Specimen IV is said (but with some hesitation) to come from Shelly 

 Bay, and I understand that it is thought to come from the recent 

 beach. I doubt this. It is certainly different in character from 

 Specimens I and II, and I am inclined to think that it is washed 

 material from a deposit similar, but rather richer, to that from which 

 Specimen III was taken. It is the best material of the six specimens 

 for Foraminifera, and it is particularly rich in good specimens of 

 Orbiculince. I should think it probable that similar material was in 

 Carpenter's possession when he wrote the chapter on Orbiculina in the 

 Introduction to the Foraminifera. 1 



" Specimen V and Specimen VI are somewhat similar in character 

 to Specimen III, but considerably more muddy and with no perfect 

 shells. There are abundant traces of Foraminifera, but all much 

 decayed. The shell debris shows no trace of mineral infiltration, and 

 the mud is apparently entirely calcareous. 



" The material taken as a whole seems to me to represent a con- 

 tinuous series, that is to say, while Specimens I and II are clearly 

 recent, the doubtful Specimen IV and the fossil Specimens III, V, 

 and VI are of very late geological age and present no fundamental 

 differences, beyond decay from weathering, from the recent material. 

 The only noticeable distinction is that Specimen IV, which, however, 

 I think has in all probability been washed, is richer in Orbiculina of 

 large size than any of the other specimens. 



" So far as the Foraminifera are concerned the material is remarkable 

 for its great richness in fine specimens of Orbicidina adunca (Fichtel 

 and Moll), in every stage of development and in wide variety of form. 

 But Bermuda has long been known as an exceptionally good locality 

 for that species, both in the recent and in the sub-fossil condition. 

 Every variety of 0. adunca figured either by Carpenter in his Intro- 

 duction to the Foraminifera, or by Brady in the Challenger Report, is 

 represented in this material, and the specimens are exceedingly 

 abundant. 



" As is usual in deposits very rich in examples of a particular species, 

 this material does not furnish a wide variety of other genera and 

 species. There are numerous specimens of Milioline forms, including 

 Biloculina ringmx (Lamarck), Miliolina seminulum(\Ar\ne), M. pulchella 

 (d'Orbigny), M. bicornis (Walker & Jacob), and M. reticulata (d'Orb.). 

 Fragments also of Vertebralina and Articulina have been met with. 

 There are a few fragments of Peneroplis, numerous fragments of 

 Orbitolites, and some young specimens of the genus in a good state 

 of preservation. There are some good specimens of Alveolina melo 

 (Fichtel & Moll), both recent and fossil ; and some well-preserved 

 examples of ISonionina depressula (Walker & Jacob) and JV. Boneana, 

 d'Orb. A very few small and obscuz*e Bentalincc have also been 

 met with. 



1 Formerly in Dr. Henry Woodward's cabinet. 



