CEPHALOPODA. 29 



The specific characters arc taken from the rostrum, the callus, and the fold. These 

 parts, however, are of secondary importance only, and would vary in form considerably, 

 not only with the age, but probably with the sex of the animal. Distinctions founded 

 upon them, therefore, must necessarily be somewhat vague and uncertain ; and, in fact, 

 M. Deshayes, from not attaching sufficient importance to changes resulting from age 

 or other circumstances, has proposed three distinct species, viz. Belosepia longispina, 

 B. longirostris, and B. Blainvittii, on remains which, as well as those of the B. Cuvieri (of 

 Deshayes), M. d'Orbigny considers to be varieties of the same species attributable to age. 



Four well-defined species are known at present, viz. 1st, B. sepioidea (De Blainv.), 

 consisting of S. longispina, S. longirostris, and S. Blainvillii (Desh.) ; 2d, B. compressa 

 (Dc Blainv.) ; 3d, B. Cuvieri (Desh.), which I consider to be the B. Owenii of Sowerby ; 

 and 4th, B. brcvispina (Sowerby). With the exception of the B. compressa, which 

 has not yet been found in England, they all occur in the eocene strata of this country. 

 The first three species are found in the Paris basin, and the B. Cuvieri has also been 

 found in the tertiary deposits of Belgium. 



No. 1. Belosepia sepioidea. De Blainv. Tab. I, fig. 1 a — i. 



Beloptera sepioidea; De Blainv. 1825. Mai. add. et correct, p. 621, tab. 11, fig. 7. 



Sepia Cuvieri ; D'Orb. 1825. Tab. Meth. de la Classe Ceph. p. 67. 



Beloptera sepioidea ; De Blainv. 1827. Mem. surles Belem. p. 110, tab. 1, fig. 2, 2ar, 26. 



— — Sowerby. 1829. Min. Con. vol. vi, p. 183, tab. 591, fig. 1. 



Belosepia Cuvieri; Voltz. 1830. Obs. sur les Belem. p. 22, tab. 2, fig. 6a— g. 

 Sepia Cuvieri; Galeotti. 1837. Mem. sur laConstit. Geogn. de la Prov. de Brabant, p. 140. 



— longispina; Desk. 1837. Foss. des Env. de Paris, p. 757, tab. 101, fig. 4-6. 



— longirostris; „ „ p. 758, tab. 101, fig. 10-12. 



— Blainvilii; „ ,, „ „ fig. 13-15. 



— Cuvieri; Bronn. 1837. Letbsea Geognostica, p. 1127, tab. 42, fig. 19 a—c. 

 Beloptera longirostrum ; Morris. 1843. Cat. of Brit. Foss. p. 178. 



Sepia longirostris ; Pictet. 1845. Traite elem. de Paleont. vol. ii, p. 315. 



— LONGISPINA; 



— Blainvillii; 



— sepioidea; D'Orb. 1815-7. Moll. viv. et fos. vol. i, p. 269. 



Belosepia Cuvieri ; J. D. C. Sowerby. 1849. Dixon's Geol. Hist, of Bracklesbam, Selsey, 



and Bognor, &c, p. 109, tab. 9, fig. 11a. 



— longirostris; ,, „ p. 109, tab. 9, fig. 15. 



— longispina; „ ,, p. 109, tab. 9, fig. 12. 



— Blainvillii; „ ,, p. 109, tab. 9, figs. 16, 17. 

 Non Sepia Cuvieri ; Desh. Foss. des Env. de Paris, p. 758, tab. 101, figs. 7-9. 



B. rostro elongafo, crasso, acuto, recto aut plus minusve arcuato ; lamina ventrali 

 crassd, prof uncle radiatim sulcata, in margine posteriori denticulate! ; callo dorsali pro- 

 fundi) et irregulariter rugoso, deorsum producto aut erecto. 



