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1 2th April, 1 88i 



The Vice-President, Robert Young, Esq., C.E., in the Chair. 



Mr. Joseph Wright, F.G.S., read a Paper, 

 NOTES ON THE FORAMINIFERA— GENUS LAGENA. 



After briefly referring to the structure and classification of 

 foraminifera, Mr. Wright went on to speak of their abundance 

 almost everywhere over the bed of the ocean, the white oozy 

 material frequently dredged from great depths being known 

 as globigerina ooze, from the abundance of Globigerina found, 

 through it. He instanced in illustration of the abundance of 

 foraminiferal life at some places, that in one ounce of mud 

 gathered by Mr. John Pirn off the fluke of an anchor at Vik- 

 holmen, Norway, and sent to him for microscopic examination, 

 he found sixty-two different species of foraminifera, some of them 

 represented by hundreds of individuals. He then spoke of 

 Lagena as being the simplest form of the hyaline foraminifera, con- 

 sisting of one chamber, and frequently covered with most varied 

 and beautiful shell ornamentation. Many of the deep-sea forms 

 have long projecting spines. These, he suggested, might be to 

 assist them in maintaining an upright position in the soft ooze 

 in which they are usually found. Lagence have attained their 

 maximum development during recent times. They are of rare 

 occurrence in the Mesozoic and Palaeozoic periods, although 

 other forms of foraminifera are abundant. Our leading British 

 rhizopodists are of opinion that connecting links may be found 



