148 



I 4 



Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 



[March, 1907 



r 



exactly how many are present in the fossil species, apparently only 



q # L 



Six, 



The test seems more convex in the two i^ecent species than in 

 the fossil ones, but owing to the tendency to collapse shown by 

 most fossil specimens, this character is not very reliable. 



When a large series of either of the two fossil species is ex- 

 amined, it is noticed that the internal fasciole exhibits consider- 

 able individual variations in shape. The difference observed in 

 this respect between Breynia australaszse and the solitary speci- 

 men of Breynia vredeiiburgi does not perhaps represent therefore 

 a constant character. 



The atrophy of the pores of the lateral ambulacra within the 

 internal fasciole is somewhat more marked in the two recent spe- 

 cies than in the fossil ones. 



Taking into account the large number of points in which the 

 three Indian species agree with one another, and also the many 

 points in which they all differ from Breynia australasise^ *hey 

 may be taken to represent a group of closely related Indian 

 species as opposed to the Pacific form. As mentioned by Vreden- 

 burg in the notice already referred to, the persistence of one par- 

 ticular type in the Indian area since a period so remote as the 

 Oligocene is a fact of considerable interest. 



I have great pleasure in namingthis species after Mr. Vreden- 

 burg, in return for rescuing from oblivion the above description of 

 the Breynia written by me eight years ago. To him I am also 

 indebted for much of the infoi'mafcion concerning the relationship 

 of this form with its extinct Indian predecessor. 



