

26 CONTRIBUTION TO THE PALEONTOLOGY OF TRINIDAD. 



can be placed on this, particularly as it is in the direction in which the asphalt 

 would naturally flow. Other and clearly recent flows of asphalt contain no shells. 

 The following species were collected by Mr. Veatch from the outcrop 1000 

 feet west of the pier : 



Area (Noetia) sheldoniana n. sp. 

 Cardium (Trigoniocardia) Carolina n. sp. 

 Pitaria (Lamelliconcha) circinata Born. 

 Pitaria (Lamelliconcha) labreana n. sp. 

 Chione veatchiana n. sp. 

 Chione dalliana n. sp. 

 Mactra austeniana n. sp. 

 Corbuh (Cuneocorbula) helence n. sp. 

 Corbula (Bothrocorbula) smithiana n. sp. 

 Marginella dalliana n. sp. 



The locality 700 feet east yielded the following : 



Area (Argina) billingsiana n. sp. 

 Area (Argina) brightonensis n. sp. 

 Chione guppyana n. sp. 

 Pholas mackiana n. sp. 

 Columbella labreana n. sp. 

 Columbella asphaltoda n . sp . 

 Cymia woodii Gabb. 

 Cerithium harrisii n. sp. 

 Cerithium isabellce n. sp. 



A glance at these lists shows that all the species are new except two — Pitaria 

 circinata Born and Cymia woodii Gabb. Fortunately, both these are most sig- 

 nificant because of their remarkable distribution. The genus Cymia is entirely 

 extinct now on the east coast of the Americas but is living on the west coast of 

 Central America, where C. tectum f a species very closely allied to the fossil form, 

 is common. The genus spread westward from an Antillean center of develop- 

 ment. ^ The parent stock was exterminated by disturbances following the rise 



of the isthmus and the western colony alone survived, continuing to the present 

 day. 



The presence of Pitaria circinata harmonizes with this. As is well known, 

 very few species of mollusks are living on both the east and west coasts of the 

 Central American region. Pitaria circinata is one. It is also found in the 

 Oligocene of the Isthmian beds and of Cumana, Venezuela. 



Evidence can also be deduced from several of the new species which agrees 

 fully with that furnished by the two already known. Thus Area {Noetia) 



sheldoniana is intermediate between the east coast A. ponderosa (which it 





resembles in outline) and the west coast A . reversa (which it resembles in the 



