SPIRIFERA. 31 



that can be created by the pernicious effect of manuscript names. Here we find for the 

 first time, at p. 525 — " Belthyris micropterus, Goldf., T. intermedins, Schloth. — Eifel, 

 Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, &c ;" but no such species occurs in the counties named. 



Now, I cannot understand why he should have introduced this new name, since he 

 considers it and Schlotheim's T. intermedins to be synonymous ! Here we find also — 



"Belthyris macropterus, Goldf uss, = T. speciosus and T. paradoxus, Schl., of the Eifel." 



Therefore, according to Goldfuss, Sp. speciosus and Sp. paradoxus, and Sp. macropterus, 

 would be synonymous, and in default of description we are bound to take him at his word. 



In 1837, at p. 35, of his ' Ueber Delthyris,' &c, Von Buch enlarges upon the subject 

 of Spirifer speciosus, and adds — " Among the principal varieties of this species we may 

 reckon the following — 



" 1. Sp. speciosus micropterus, Goldf., with from ten to eighteen ribs on each side of the 

 fold." But the celebrated Prussian palaeontologist is, I think, mistaken when stating 

 that Sp. distans, Sow., may belong to this variety. 



" 2. Sp. speciosus intermedins, Schloth. {macropterus, Goldf.). Six to eight large ribs on 

 each of the lateral portions of the valve, or from twelve to sixteen ribs, without counting 

 the fold." 



I must here express my surprise that, after Goldfuss has so distinctly intimated that 

 his Belthyris micropterus = T. intermedius, Schloth., and that his Belthyris micropterus = 

 T. speciosus and T. paradoxus, another interpretation should have been put upon the 

 matter by Von Buch. 



" 3. Spirifer speciosus alatus." This last is a Permian shell, which appears to be 

 closely related to Sp. macropterus. 



I consider Von Buch likewise mistaken when he states that Sp. convolutus, Phillips, 

 Sp.fusiformis, Sow., and Sp. rhomboidalis, Phillips, may be varieties of Sp. speciosus, the 

 character of the mesial fold and sinus being sufficient to negative such a conclusion. 



At p. 1181 of his 'Index Palaeontologicus ' (1848), Dr. Bronn gives us a long list of 

 synonyms and references to Schlotheim's Sp. speciosus ; and among them we find Belthyris 

 microptera, Goldfuss, Hysterolithes hystericus, Schloth. ; and as named varieties, j3. Tere- 

 bratulites intermedius, Schloth., and y. Ter ebr at ulites paradoxus of the same author. But 

 I must confess that the figures given by Schlotheim of his Hysterolites hystericus lead me 

 to believe that it cannot be considered as a synonym of Sp. speciosus. 



In vol. v of the ' Transactions of the Geological Society of London,' 2nd series (May, 

 1 840), Sowerby describes and figures some very imperfect and distorted casts and impressions 

 of a fusiform Spirifera, not unlike Sp. speciosus or Sp. paradoxus, under the denomi- 

 nation of Sp. costata, and adds, "(=*/& speciosa of the Eifel ?)," implying that it might be 

 synonymous with Schlotheim's species ; and in 1 852 Professor M'Coy (' British Pal. Eossils,' 

 p. 376) unhesitatingly places Sp. costata as a synonym of Sp. speciosa. Phillips, in his 

 'Figures and Desc. of the Pal. Eossils of Cornwall, Devon, &c.,' p. 77, 1841, adopts 

 Sovverby's Sp. costata, but observes, at the same time, that it " certainly resembles °p 



