BRACHIOPODA. 215 



tellemeiit unie et close, que les deux bords avancent un peu au dessus de la 

 coquille. La charniere est tres courte."— Fischer de Waldheim, 1830 {he. cU.). 



" The general outline of the shells is more or less globular, with mostly very 

 strongly inflated valves. The hinge-line is short, never projecting at the ex- 

 tremities ; both valves are more or less strongly plicated radially. 



" The ventral valve is always smaller than the dorsal one The area of the 

 ventral valve is sometimes high and strongly reclining, sometimes not; but 

 laterally little extended, according to the short hinge-line. It is cut open in 

 the middle by a tolerably large triangular fissure, which is never covered up 

 by a pseudo-deltidium. 



" The dorsal valve is always larger than the ventral one, with a strongly 

 bent-over and sometimes rolled-in beak. The area is mostly small in this 

 valve and even sometimes linear. The deltidial fissure is smaller than in the 

 other valve. ' . 



" Both valves are covered all over with a very fine radial striation, similar 

 to that occurring in many species of Orthis, and it appears not improbable 

 that also in Enteletes fine hair-like spines were disseminated irregularly over 

 this striation. The minute structure of the shell is punctate." * * * 



" Internally the ventral valve bears two strong elongated teeth on both sides 

 of the triangular fissure, supported by very strong dental plates, which extend 

 from the apex toward the front of the valve ; but instead of diverging they 

 approach each other toward the middle of the valve, bending around, either 

 with a gentle curve or a sudden bend. Between these dental plates, beginning 

 as a low ridge at the apex, a thin blade-like median septum extends ; it is 

 highest toward the middle of the valve and then suddenly terminates." 



" The dorsal valve has interiorly two very strong septa, Avhich extend on 

 both sides of the deltidial fissure, and project for a certain distance, strongly 

 diverging into the interior of the valve. They support strong and long curved 

 crura, which have exactly the shape of a boar's tusks. They are laterally 

 compressed and bear on their lower and inner side a sharp prominent ridge. 

 The dental sockets are placed exteriorly to the origin of the crura. In the 

 middle, at the apex of the valve, a small cardinal process is observable, having 

 the form of a short narrow ridge." — Waagen {loc. dt). 



Type, Enteletes Lamarcki, Fischer de Waldheim, Upper Carboniferous lime- 

 stone. 



American example, Spirifer hemiplicatus, Hall, Upper Carboniferous. 



