308 F. R. Cou'per Reed^The Bokkeveld Beds, 8. Africa. 



the internal characters of ScapMocadia is unfortunate ; but on 

 account of its external resemblance and its typical occurrence in beds of 

 which the fauna has been proved to be closely allied to that of the 

 Cape Bokkeveld formation, we may provisionally assign our species 

 to this genus, and designate it by the distinctive specific name of 

 africana. I am inclined to think that the poor specimen which 

 I described ' as BensselcBria, sp. n, from Assegai Bosch, Roode Berg, 

 Ladismith, should be referred to this species, or at any rate to this 

 genus ; and it is not impossible that the other form described as 

 BensselcBria, sp. /3,^ may also belong to it ; but they are in too poor 

 a state of preservation to establish their position without doubt. 



RENSSKLiEEIA cf. CONFLUENTINA, Fuchs. (PI. XVI, FigS. 6, 6a.) 



There is one tough, grey quartzose sandstone fragment, deeply 

 iron-stained on the surface, from the Gouritz River, north of the 

 Langebergen, which contains two specimens of a subcircular, 

 strongly convex, and radiately ribbed brachiopod. Both specimens 

 apparently represent the pedicle valve, and the better preserved one 

 has a regularly convex, swollen shape, with an incurved, moderately 

 high beak, on each side of which small dental plates are indicated 

 by slits in the cast. The surface of the valve shows no fold or 

 sinus, but is covered by about 40-50 regular, closely placed, simple, 

 radiating, small, rounded ribs. A few concentric growth-ridges are 

 visible towards the margin. The dimensions of this specimen are as 

 follows, the maximum width being anterior to the middle : — Length 

 18*0 mm., width 19-0 mm., depth (of pedicle valve) 8 mm. Another 

 specimen of approximately the same size from the same locality 

 consists of the internal cast of a complete individual, slightly 

 distorted. The shell is biconvex, the pedicle valve being slightly 

 deeper than the brachial ; and the shape agrees with that of the 

 previously described specimen. The oval impression of the diductor 

 muscles in the pedicle valve is strong and deep, and extends about 

 one-third the length of the valve from the beak. In the opposite 

 valve the two pairs of adductors form a subtriangular scar, widening 

 anteriorly ; the posterior pair is narrow and deeply sunk, while the 

 anterior pair is wider and less clearly defined. A low median ridge 

 divides the pairs longitudinally. The hinge-plate was deeply cleft, 

 but further details cannot be made out. The ribbing on the surface 

 is the same as in the other specimen. 



The true generic position of these brachiopods is somewhat 

 doubtful, but I believe they must be placed in the genus Bensselceria. 

 The internal characters, so far as they are known, agree with this 

 genus, and in shape and general features B. conflueiitina, Fuchs,' 

 from the Lower Devonian of the Rhenish area, may be compared. 

 This species is described and figured as having a subrotundate 

 outline, with 40-50 ribs on the larger mature individuals, with 

 concentric growth-stride, and mostly without a median septum in the 



' Reed: Ann. S. Afr. Mus., vol. iv, pt. 3 (1903), p. 176, pi. xxi, fig. 8. 

 2 Ibid., p. 177, pi. xxi, fig. 9. 



^ Fuchs: Jahrb. kou. preuss. geol. Landesanst., xxiv, pt. 1 (1904), p. 50, pi. vii, 

 figs. 7-14; pi. viii, figs. 1-14. 



