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SUPPLEMENT TO THE BRITISH 



Riiyxchoxella multifokmis, P. de Loriol. Desc. An. inv. Mont Saleve, p. 113, 



pi. xv, figs. 23—26 (Middle Neoco- 

 mian), 1861. 



— — Ooster. Pctrificat. remarquables des Alpes Suisses, 



Brachiopodes, p. 54, 1863. 



— depress a, — Id., p. 55, pi. 19, figs. 11, 12, 1863. 

 Terebratula — Quenstedt. Petref. Deutsch., Brachiop., p. 155, pi. xli, figs. 



1—8 (9—13 excluded), 18G8. 

 Rhynchonella multiformis, Jaccard. Desc. Guol. du Jura Neuch., pp. 150 and 



158 (Mater, pour la Carte Geol. de la 

 Suisse, G liv.), 1869. 

 — — Pictet. Desc. des Foss. du Terrain Cretace de Sainte- 



Croix, Brachiopodes, p. 10, pi. cxcv, figs. 1 — 8, 1872. 



Spec. Char. Variable in shape, generally wider than long, ventral valve moderately 

 convex, with a wide sinus occupying about one third of the anterior half of the valve; 

 beak pointed, moderately produced, and incurved ; foramen rather small, surrounded and 

 separated from the hinge-line by a deltidium ; hinge-ridges well defined, leaving a 

 flattened space between them and the hinge-line. Dorsal valve much deeper than the 

 opposite one, evenly convex to about half the posterior half of valve, at which point the 

 mesial fold gradually rises, so that the anterior half of the valve is divided into three 

 portions. Surface of each valve marked with from twenty to thirty angular ribs, of 

 which from six to eight occupy the fold. Proportions very variable. Two specimens 

 measured — 



Length 13, width 16, depth 8 lines. 

 10, „ 11, „ 8 „ 



Obs. I entirely coincide with what is stated by M. Pictet in the following passage 

 taken, as well as the synonyma above given, from his description of Rh. multiformis : 

 " L'existence de cette espece, si abondante dans l'etage neocomien, a ete pour la 

 premiere fois signalee par de Buch, qui crut devoir la reunir a la Rh. depressa de Sowerby. 

 Agassiz, dans la traduction de Sowerby (1845, p. 517), dit : 'On identifie ordinairement 

 avec cette espece {depressa) celle qui est si commune dans le Neocomien de Suisse et de 

 France. Pour decider de leur identite, il faudrait pouvoir comparer des series provenant 

 de divers localites.' Cette association a ete generalement acceptee par les auteurs jusqu'a 

 ces dernieres annees, et en particulier par d'Orbigny ; mais, depuis les travaux classiques 

 de Mr. Davidson, on connait la \ra\e Rh. depressa et Ton sait qu'elle differe d'nne maniere 

 notable de l'espece neocomienne. M. de Loriol a montre que cette derniere a ete decrite, 

 en 1839, par Roemer sous les noms de multiformis et de rostralina, et il a propose, avec 

 raison, de lui rendre la premiere de ces denominations." As its name implies, the shell 

 assumes many shapes, some specimens being even elongated. The smallness of its 

 foramen and much stronger ribs seems to distinguish it from Rh. depressa. 



Position and Locality. Rh. multiformis was found by Messrs. Judd and Keeping in the 



