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SUPPLEMENT TO THE BRITISH 



12. Rhynchonella psittacea, Chemnitz, sp. Dav., Tert. Mon., PI. I, fig. 7. 



Rhynchonella psittacea, Jeffreys. Brit. Conch., vol. v, pi. xcix, fig. 4, &c. 



Mr. Jeffreys is of opinion that this species inhabits the most northern parts of our seas. 

 He dredged two perfect specimens off Unst, and detached valves have been obtained 

 on more than one occasion. It is a common species in several northern seas, and lives 

 in Pinmark in 20 to 80 fathoms. Possil specimens occur in Great Britain, Scandinavia, 

 Canada, and other places. In vol. iv, p. 262, 1872, of the ' American Journal of Science 

 and Arts,' Prof. Edward S. Morse states that he has recently been able to study 

 Rhynchonella psittacea alive at Eastport, Maine, and to note the ciliary action in the 

 oviducts driving currents outward, and to establish the correctness of Prof. Owen's 

 supposition that the arms of Rhynchonella can be protruded. 



From the above it will become apparent that some twelve species live at various 

 distances from our shores in the British seas. Of these, nine occur fossil either in Post- 

 Tertiary or Tertiary strata of different parts of the world ; and it is probable, or at least 

 possible, that the remaining three will be found so likewise upon further search. 



BRITISH POST-TERTIARY BRACHIOPODA. 



Although only two species of Brachiopoda have been hitherto recorded from the Post- 

 Tertiary clays of Great Britain, seven have been found in similar deposits in Norway by 

 the late Prof. Sars, Mr. J. G. Jeffreys, Mr. David Robertson, and Mr. Crosskey. 1 



1 The Norwegian species will be found described in Prof. Sars' memoir entitled " Om de i Norge fore- 

 kommende fossile Dyrelevninger fra Quartserperioden, et Bidrag til vor Faunas Historie," 1865, and in 

 Messrs. Robertson and Crosskey's valuable paper, vol. vi of the ' Proceedings of the Philosophical Society 

 of Glasgow.' The last-named gentlemen state that out of ten deposits examined by them six contained 

 Brachiopoda, namely, Ommedalsstrard ; near Skien ; Sparebakken ; Aafas, near Skien ; Barhohmen, and 

 Pladsen. The Norwegian species are Terebratulina caput-serpentis, Waldheimia cranium, Wald. septigera, 

 Terebratella Spitzbergensis, Gwynia capsula, and Rhynchonella psittacea. T. Spitzbergensis was also found 

 in glacial clays at Uddevalla and Christiania by Mr. Jeffreys and Prof. Sars. I have been able to examine 

 those collected by Mr. D. Robertson. 



