10 SYRIAN MOLLUSC AN FOSSILS. 



where only Cretaceous strata have as jet been detected. The inference 

 is justified by the identity of mineral character observed in the specimens 

 from both the Merrill and Bird collections. All are pyritiferous, and bear 

 externally a bright metallic gloss, mentioned by Fraas as marking the 

 Ammonites of this bed of Ornati Clay, which are, in his own words, idle 

 fflamend verMest. 



It is known that the pupils of the mission stations established at Mejdel 

 esh Shems and Abeih are encouraged by their teachers to gather up the 

 fossils which abound in both districts, and that by them has been brought 

 together a large part of the fine collection now exhibited in the college at 

 Beirut. It was probably from the station at Mejdel esh Shems that these 

 Jurassic Ammonites were procured. 



The specimens are all in excellent condition, generally retaining the 

 delicate test, which is, however, in some instances removed or worn thin, so 

 as to show the complicated lobes of the septa. 



In accordance with the foregoing statement, all may be considered as 

 coming from Mejdel esh Shems and the Ornati Clay. 



Ammonites convolutus Schlotheim. 



P Nautilus poh/gyratus Rbinecke, ISIS, Nautili et Argonaute, p. 73, PI. v, figs. 45, 46. 



Ammonites convolutus Schlotheim, 1820, Petrefaotenkunde, p. 69. 



Ammonites convolutus ornati Qtjenstedt, I s I'.'. Cephalopoden, p. 168, PI. xiii, 6g. 1. 



Six specimens. The largest, having a diameter of 21 mm., width of last 

 whorl, 9 mm., thickness of same, 9 mm., answers well to Quenstedt's figure, 

 and precisely to that of Loriol and Pellat (Monogr. des Etag. sup. de la For- 

 mat. Jurass. de Boulogne-sur-Mer, p. 35, PL i, fig. 18), which represents an 

 example from Baden, at first •' faussemeut attribute a V Am. Quekenensis " 

 Loriol, 1873, but, it is added, •• qui appartient an group de YAm. folygyrcdu&r 

 The ribs of this specimen curve forwards more than do those of the species 

 communis Sow. and pUcatilis Sow., while they are liner than in the former and 

 coarser than in tin' latter. Many of the ribs are trifurcate as they pass over 

 the hack; others are bifurcate. Coll. Bird. 



There are. besides, live much smaller specimens, varying in diameter 

 from l_! mm. down to 8 mm., and which 1 take to be the young of 

 this species. These are from Dr. Merrill, who obtained them at Mejdel 

 esh Shems. 



