B. Etheridge, jun. — On Ramipora in the Caradoc. 243 



naming some already known form, which may have been noticed 

 from a mere fragment, and that imperfectly — no matter how carefully 

 the literature of the subject is searched. 



So far as my acquaintance with British Silurian Polyzoa goes, the 

 only one which could possibly be, in fragments, confounded with 

 that now under description is Glauconome disticlia, Goldf. This 

 error has been committed in specimens in the British Museum, and 

 in the Museum of Practical Geology ; but after Prof. M'Coy's clear 

 description of G. disticha, an easy separation may readily be 

 arrived at. Fragments of the latter may be at once distinguished 

 from those of Mr. Williams' fossil, by the rounded contour of the 

 stems and branches on the reverse face, and their granular orna- 

 mentation, whereas in the specimens now under consideration it is 

 angular, and so far as known without granules or striae of any 

 kind. Again, as regards the cell-bearing face ; in G. disticha the 

 pores are large, oblong, thick-edged, occupying the whole width of 

 the face on each side the central keel, and their ends in contact. In 

 Bamipora, on the contrary, the apertures are round, similarly 

 placed, without elevated edges of any kind, merely forming a series 

 of depressions on the interstitial surface, and separated from one 

 another by an appreciable distance. 



It now only remains for us to consider how far this interesting 

 Caradoc fossil agrees with the single species of Bamipora hitherto 

 described, B. Hochstetteri, Toula. The arrangement of the branches, 

 primary, secondary, and ternary, is identical in both; the cross 

 section of the latter appears to be the same. The chief points of 

 difference appear to lie in the greater development of the central keel 

 of the branches, and judging from Dr. Toula's figure, a greater 

 regularity in the disposition of the pores. Finally, taking the whole 

 frond into consideration, the Caradoc form exhibits a tendency 

 towards a less robust habit. Pending a more complete description 

 of B. Hochstetteri, Toula, I fail to see the advisability of establishing 

 a new species for this interesting fossil, but shall at present content, 

 myself with considering it as a variety only, under the name of 

 Bamipora Hochstetteri, Toula, var. carinata (mihi). For those 

 observers who prefer to look upon the points above brought forward 

 as of specific value, the designation carinata will, perhaps, be 

 acceptable in that sense. 



The undoubted interest attached to this elegant fossil lies in the 

 fact of the extension backwards in time of a form only previously 

 known to exist towards the close of the Paleozoic period. 



I am indebted to Mr. G. J. Williams for the loan of his really 

 beautiful specimens. I have also been permitted to borrow a series 

 contained in the Museum of Practical Geology. For the loan of 

 Lonsdale's type specimen of Glauconome disticha, Goldf, contained in 

 the Murchison Collection, I am indebted to the President and Council 

 of the Geological Society. This assemblage of examples, with a few 

 which unexpectedly came to light in the British Museum Collection, 

 has enabled me to study a fine series from the Welsh Caradoc rocks. 



Localities and Horizon. — "A little south of the town of Corwen," in 



