4 DEVONIAN PAUNA. 



The first, which is probably the central portion, contains fifteen narrow somites 

 with straight sides, which are perpendicular to the line of the back, each somite 

 measuring 7 mm. in height by 2 mm. in width. The lower part of the somites appears 

 crossed by a double series of transversely oval concavities, and their front margin 

 seems raised and convexly rounded ofi" at the bottom. To the base of at least 

 every fourth somite remains attached a long narrow appendage or swimmeret (?), 

 which is narrower than the somite, and seems so placed that the front of the 

 somite is in line with the front of its base ; it is probable that each somite had a 

 pair of such appendages. These swimmerets (?) show slight signs of segmentation 

 (not visible in the figure), are about 7 mm. in length, slope slightly backwards, 

 and are narrowly lancet-shaped, gradually tapering toward their extremities, where 

 they are rounded off in a blunt point. They are longitudinally bisected by a 

 slight median furrow (ridge in the cast) which traverses them from end to end. 



The second portion is less distinct ; signs of segmentation occur, but they are 

 apparently oblique to the back, and there are indications of one or two incipient 

 swimmerets (?). Near to the posterior end the body is suddenly constricted by 

 short concavities both above and below, after which it widens out into a caudal 

 prolongation, which seems to consist of some rounded plates, one containing a 

 margined spot, and of a pair of short flapper-like appendages with three seg- 

 ments. The test appears to have been massive, and probably had a granular 

 ornament. 



Size. — The total length is 57 mm. The lengths of the two remaining fragments 

 are respectively 23 mm. and 22 mm. The width at the front end is 5 mm., close to 

 the tail 3 mm., and across the tail 7 mm. The length of the first swimmeret (?) 

 is 7 mm. 



Locality. — The only specimen is in the Barnstaple Museum, where it is placed 

 among the Sloly fossils ; and the character of the matrix appears to indicate that it 

 came from the Lingula beds of the Sloly group. 



Bemarlcs. — This fossil is most perplexing and difficult to interpret. Mr. Thomas 

 Roberts, F.G.S., long ago suggested that it might be a spined Myriopod ; and, on 

 consulting Dr. Henry Woodward more lately, he made the same suggestion, 

 comparing it with Eiiphoheria ferox, Salter,^ reviewed by him with other Myriopods 

 in 1887.^ The difficulties, however, in the way of assigning it to Eitphoheria are 

 — (1) there are no signs whatever of dorsal spines, the upper line of the body being 

 continuous and simple, and there being no scars on the somites to indicate sub- 

 dorsal spines ; (2) there are no clear signs of dorsal plates overlapping two 



1 1863, Salter, ' Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc.,' vol. xix, p. 86, fig. 8. 



2 1^87, Woodward, ' Geol. Mag.,' dec. 3, vol. iv, p. 1, pi. i, figs. 1—12. 



3 1881-5, Scudder, in Zittel's ' Palseoz.,' pt. 2, p. 721. 



