ART. 14 FOSSIL AND EECENJ BKYOZOA CAITU AND BASSLEK 87 



The measurements observed on our specimens are the largest. 

 They appear to constitute a variety. In their ornamentation they 

 approach especially the figures of Smitt, 1873, and of Jullien, 1903. 

 Smitt states that the species is very common in the Gulf of Mexico. 



Occurrence. — Albatross Station D. 2117, Caribbean Sea; 15° 2V 

 40" N.; 63° 31' 30" W.; 683 fms.; yellow mud, fine sand; D. 2753, 

 Lesser Antilles. 



Geographic distribution. — Atlantic : From Spitzberg to Cape Verde 

 Islands from 300 to 3,700 meters. 



Plesiotypes.— Cat. No. 7605, U.S.N.M. 



Family ESCHARELLIDAE Levinsen, 1909 



Subfamily Schizoporellae Canu and Bassler, 1917 

 Genus BUFFONELLARIA Canu and Bassler, 1927 



The ovicell is hyperstomial and not closed by the operculum. The 

 frontal is an olocyst with vein-like markings. There is a small oral 

 avicularium. 



Genotype. — Hippothoa divergens typica Smitt, 1873. Recent. 



This genus differs from Bujffonella Jullien, 1888, only in the move- 

 ment of the operculum which closes the ovicell. We know three 

 equatorial species of this genus — Buffonellaria divergens Smitt, 1872;. 

 B. reticulata, new species, from the Gulf of Mexico; and B. loculifera 

 Canu and Bassler from the Philippines. 



Relations between the oral avicularia and the function of tha 

 operculum in the Escharellidae are shown by the fact that when 

 there is no oral avicularium present the operculum closes the ovicell, 

 and when there is an oral avicularium the operculum does not close 

 the ovicell. This is not a special phenomenon in Buffonellaria for 

 it is general in all the EscharelUdae Buffonella, Lacerna, DaJcaria,. 

 ScMzomavella, Hippoponella, and Houzeauina do not have oral 

 avicularia and their operculum closes the ovicell. On the contrary ,^ 

 Buffonellaria, Gemelliporella, Schizopodrella, Hippomenella, Hippozeu- 

 gosella, Peristomella, and Romancheina have two oral avicularia and. 

 their operculum does not close their ovicell. We have incomplete 

 data on other genera of the family, especially when they are fossil;, 

 finally, certain of them such as Hippoporina are perhaps poorly^ 

 classified. 



In the uncertain family, Galeopsidae the same phenomenon is 

 observable; Haswellia has no avicularia and its operculum closes the 

 ovicell. On the contrary Galeopsis and Gephyrophora provided with 

 avicularia do not have their operculum closing the ovicell. Very^ 

 probably the genera of this family should be united to the Escharel- 

 lidae. 



