88 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 
present with past ages, and however imperfect the record may be, 
and however difficult to comprehend the changes which have taken 
place underlying all, one may perceive that the accepted beliefs of 
former generations have lost, or are losing, their hold, not only on 
leading scripture men, but on the public as well. From the strange 
relationship this class of the Mollusc bears, not only to the higher 
Lamellibranchs, but to Annelids, Tunicates and Polyzoa, it 
naturally attracted considerable attention of late years. The 
researches may not have led to all that was expected, but they have 
yielded much important information already, and will pave the way 
for future investigation. So far back as 1834, Von Buch asserted 
that the classification of the Brachiopods ought to be determined by 
the nature of the pedicle opening. The general external features, 
however, continued the essential basis up to 1848, but about that 
time King pointed out the interior of the shell afforded more reliable 
data. This view, with additions of his own, was adopted by 
Davidson, and modifications were subsequently proposed by others. 
It is now claimed that the results of the studies of fossil forms com- 
bined with that of living species have led to the recognition and 
establishment of certain primary characters resulting in the discovery 
of an original structure now applied to a more correct classification. 
According to Professor Sheuchert, whose wards I quote, Drs. 
Beecher and Clarke, Hyatt, Morse, Sheply and Brooks deserve 
great credit for their respective discoveries. Thus the views of Von 
Buch are now accepted. Better late than never. 
It has been ascertained that Lingula passes through two stages 
Paterina and Obolella, consequently it is no longer considered the 
prototype of its class, Paterina being the most primitive genius known, 
being found in lower Cambrian. Indeed it appears to be considered 
the ancester of all Bracheopods. Forty-seven families or sub-families 
are recognized. Six still living are represented as Pleozoic sur- 
vivors, including Zhectdium, a Mediterranean Zerebratula recently 
traced back from the Trias fossils. But the specimen I have never 
seen, and do not altogether understand the grounds of separation. 
Professor Whiteaves, the Palzeontologist of our Dominion Survey, 
is exceedingly cautious in reminding us not to forget Dr. Woodward’s 
remarks which he incorporates in his own description, viz, ‘‘ That 
the Molluscan Genera of the older of the newly discoveréd shell 
