SPIR1FERA. 153 



1871. Spieifee Vekneuilt, Kayser. Ibid., vol. xxiii, p. 587. 



1881. Spieifeea Veeneuilii, Davidson. Brit. Foss. Brach., vol. iv, p. 339, 



pi. xxxviii, figs. 9 — 14. 



1882. — — — Ibid., vol. v, p. 35, pi. ii, fig. 1. 

 1882. Spieieee Verneuili, Barrois. Mem. Soc. Geol. Nord,vol. ii, p. 257, pi. x, 



figs. 7 a — d. 

 1886. — disjuncttjs, 1 Wenjukqff. Fauna Dev. Svst. N.-W. und Cent. 



Russl., p. 64, pi. iii, figs. 1 — 7; 

 and pi. iv, figs. 1 — 4. 

 1894. — Veeneuili, Gosselet. Mem. Soc. Geol. Nord, vol. iv, p. 1, 



pis. i — v ; pi. vi, figs. 58, 59. 

 1891. — disjuncttjs, Rail and Clarice. Pal. N. Y., vol. viii, pt. 2, p. 24. 



Localities. — Pilton, Ashford Strand, Orchard House Pilton, Goodleigh, Top 

 Orchard, Croyde Bay, Tutshill, Roborougb, Shirwell, Saunton, Braunton, 

 Bradiford, Hagley Bridge, one mile south of Wivelisconibe, Luscott Barton, 

 Poleshill, Kingdou's Shirwell, Laticosta Cave Croyde, Upcott Arch, Pouch 

 Bridge, Rock Inn Quarry (near Wiveliscombe), Caraelford, Tintagel, South 

 Petherwyn. It is one of the most frequent Brachiopods of the Pilton Beds. 

 In the Woodwardian Museum is a specimen from the Lingula-zone of Sloly. 



Size. — The largest specimen I have seen is more than eight inches in width. 



Remarks. — Davidson regarded all the Spirifers from the Pilton Beds, which 

 have numerous plaits on the fold, as belonging to Sp. Verneuilii, with which he 

 united Sp. Archiaci, Lonsdalii, Murchisoniana? and Barumensis, as well as the 

 various forms described by Phillips and by Sowerby from these beds. More lately, 

 however, he appears to have expressed an opinion that Sp>. Barumensis was distinct. 

 It would appear that he was at one time inclined not only to separate Sp. Murchi- 

 soniana specifically, but to refer it to Cyrtia, a genus which afterwards he declined 

 to recognise. 



Sp. Verneuilii is defined by Gosselet as covered with numerous fine ribs from 

 margin to beak, those of the fold and sinus bifurcating, but those of the wings 

 being always simple (and thereby differing from Sp. striata). On the latter 

 character he lays much stress, stating that among Belgian species it is only shared 

 by Sp. Orbeliana, which he distinguishes by the slightly convex centre of its 

 sinus and the trapezoidal form of its "languette." Sp. aperturata, Schlotheim, 

 he defines as having the lateral ribs narrower than the intervening furrows, and 

 occasionally though rarely bifurcating. 



Whether our Pilton fossils all belong to the present species is a question by 

 no means easy to decide. Being almost always distorted and imperfectly preserved, 

 it is most difficult to say whether any lines of distinction can be drawn between 



1 Grouped witb Sp. Verneuili, Sp. Archiaci, Sp. tenticulum, and Sj). Brodi. 



2 1845, Murcbison, von Keyserliug, and de Verneuil, ' Geol. Russia,' vol. ii, p. 160, pi. 4, figs. 1 a — d. 



U 



