ON THE FOSSIL CORALS OF CANADA WEST. 97 



ON THE FOSSIL CORALS OF THE DEVONIAN ROCKS OF 

 CANADA WEST. 



BY E. BILLINGS, F. G. S. 



Bead before the Canadian Institute, February 26th, 1859. 



The following paper contains notices of forty-three species of corals 

 collected in the Devonian rocks of Canada West, being all that I have 

 seen that are sufficiently well preserved to admit of description. Besides 

 these there are in the large collection of the Geological Survey a great 

 many specimens in a fragmentary condition which appear to belong to 

 eight or ten other species. The total number of Devonian corals known 

 in Canada may be estimated at about fifty. It is highly probable that 

 a few more may be discovered, but I do not think the total will ever 

 much exceed sixty species. 



Of the forty-three species described in this paper, the following six 

 occur in the Devonian formation in Europe : — Favosites Gothlandica, 

 F. hemispherica, F. iasaltica, F. cervicornis, F, polymorpha, and 

 JSeliophyllum Salli. Favosites Gothlandica is the only species that 

 occurs in both Silurian and Devonian rocks. 



It is worthy of particular notice that no species of Cyathophyllum 

 have yet been found in Canada, while the genus Seliophyllum affords 

 six species. My own impression is that this latter genus is only a sec- 

 tion of Cyathophyllum, although in deference to the opinions of others 

 I have recognized it as distinct. 



In designating the formations I have tised the term " Corniferoxjs"' 

 as including both the Onondaga and Corniferous limestones of the 

 New York Survey. All the species, except two, occur in this group of 

 rocks. Only a few fossils have been collected in the Hamilton group, 

 in Canada ; and if any increase should hereafter be made in the num- 

 ber of species of Devonian corals, it is from these rocks they will most 

 probably be procured. 



Genus Fistxjlipora (McCoy). 



(McCoy. British Palceosoic Fossils, p. 11.) 



Generic Characters. — " Corallum incrusting, or forming large 

 masses, composed of long, simple, cylindrical, thick-walled twhes, the 



