Dr. H. Woodward — On Fossil Shells, etc., from Sumatra. 391 



The following is the description of this species translated from 

 Dr. Eduard Eomer's Monograph on the Molluscan genus Dosinia, 

 Scopoli (Artemis, Poli), 1862, 4to. p. 34. 



Shell suborhicular, somewhat tumid, thick, very inequilateral, 

 rather flexuous posteriorly, finely and regularly striated concen- 

 trically ; stria? at the sides, especially posteriorly, more elevated ; 

 chalky white, sometimes straw-coloured towards the umbones ; 

 umbones rather tumid, occupying one-fourth the length ; ventral 

 margin semicircular at both extremities, very steep ; anterior 

 dorsal margin very short ; posterior sloping moderately behind and 

 curved ; lunula cordiform, impressed, striated, sharply circumscribed; 

 area somewhat large, slightly excavated ; ligament conspicuous ; 

 nymphae slender ; pallial sinus large, narrow, triangular, apex 

 rather acute, terminating nearly horizontally at the upper edge ; 

 cardinal lamina narrow ; lateral teeth large, papilliform ; cardinal 

 tooth perpendicular, slender, greatly thickened ; last tooth in right 

 valve very remote, slender, superficially bisulcated, median pit very 

 large. 



This species is found living at Manilla, at the Island of Luzon, 

 Philippines. Our fossil specimens are derived from the so-called 

 Miocene Marl-clays of the Island of Nias, Government of the West 

 Coast of Sumatra. 



17. Echinodermata. Spine of Cidarisf PI. X. Fig. 17. 

 There are several of these spines from the locality mentioned 



below. They appear to be referable to a species of Cidaris, but as 

 they are much worn, and as no plates of the test are associated with 

 them, it would be difficult to correctly assign them to any specific 

 form. 



Locality and Formation : — From bed 5, Coral-limestone, with casts 

 of Gasteropods and Conchifers, together with Echinidcs (see Geol. 

 Mag. 1877, p. 444), Padang Highlands, Government of the West 

 Coast of Sumatra. 



Plants. — Sparganilithes, gen. nov. 



18. Sparganilithes gemmatus, H. Woodw. PI. X. Fig. 4. 



This anomalous fossil remain was obtained from the division 

 marked No. 3 by M. Verbeek, who thus describes it (see Geol. 

 Mag. 1877, p. 444) : " Sandstones with Coal-seams, without organic 

 remains, nearly 1,000 feet thick, resting unconformably on the 

 Marl-shales. The only fossils in them are undeterminable stalks 

 and leaves of plants, small Melaniw, and traces of fish." 



The Melanio3 are so abundant as to form almost the entire substance 

 of some of the shale-bands with their compressed shells. The 

 species closely resembles Melania crebricostata in size and ornamenta- 

 tion ; but is rather more strongly corrugated. The lime of the 

 shells has been entirely dissolved, away and removed, only the 

 impressions remaining in the shale. 



At first sight it appeared difficult, if not impossible, to refer the 

 fossil figured in our Plate (Fig. 4) to any known group or organism 

 with certainty. The specimens are three in number, being found in 



