126 CARBONIFEROUS AND PERMIAN FORAMINIFERA. 



Nodosaria Geinitzi, Reuss, 1854, and Richter, 1855, PI. X, fig. 6, is a typical 

 six-chambered N. radicula ; a better example could scarcely be found of any geological 

 age. 



Nodosaria duplicans and N. subacicula, Richter, are very doubtful organisms, and in 

 the absence of any fresh evidence from further research I am authorised by Dr. Richter 

 to state his concurrence in the withdrawal of their names. The only new light thrown 

 upon either is from the fractured surface of a piece of Zechstein Limestone, showing one 

 whole segment and portions of two others, which, if appearances are not deceptive, 

 would suggest an organism resembling Nodosaria pyrula, d'Orbigny. It may be, 

 therefore, that N. duplicans, as figured in the ' Dyas,' represents a fossil with these 

 characters ; but I agree with Dr. Richter that the evidence of one or two broken and 

 obscure specimens, in the matrix, is not a satisfactory foundation for the establishment 

 of a species. 



Nodosaria Kingi, Reuss, is a slender form having the same general characters as 

 N. radicula, but with a dozen segments or more instead of about half the number. 

 The drawing, PI. X, fig. 12, is copied from the original figure in the 'Dyas' 

 monograph. 



Nodosaria Kirkbyi, Richter, is a smaller form and wider at the top. The figure in 

 the ' Dyas,' copied at PI. X, fig. 11, appears to have been drawn from a split specimen, 

 and shows the produced neck and aperture of each segment. The primordial chamber 

 seems to be wanting. 



Nodosaria Jonesi, Richter, PI. X, fig. 13, is a minute, broad variety; but the 

 figure, also apparently from a split specimen, shows neither stoloniferous tubes nor 

 aperture. Probably the fracture has taken place considerably below the median line. 



Nodosaria conferla, Schmid, PL X, fig. 14, a long, irregular, many-chambered form ; 

 the earlier segments small and tapering, the remainder nearly equal in size. I have 

 taken the liberty of reversing the figure, as it is usual to place the Nodosaria with the 

 broad chambers uppermost. 



Nodosaria ovalis, Schmid, PI. X, fig. 15, differs from N. radicula in its slender 

 contour and regularly oval segments ; whilst 



Nodosaria citriformis, Schmid, PI. X, fig. 1&, is another variety of the same class, 

 but irregular, much attenuated, and with a larger number of chambers. 



The zoological value to be attached to these trifling modifications in form must be 

 left for each observer to estimate for himself, but the larger the number of specimens 

 examined the stronger will become the conviction that they represent little more than 

 individual peculiarities, and that "species" on such foundation might be made ad 

 infinitum. The figures however are not without their value as illustrations of the range 

 of variation of an organism of very simple type. 



Distribution. Well-defined specimens of Nodosaria radicula have not to my knowledge 

 been found in any portion of the Carboniferous Limestone Series. It is not uncommon in 



