62 DEVONIAN FAUNA. 



only one of which that retained its exterior surface was labelled by Mr. Salter 

 " Goniatites unnamed." In the British Museum are two finely preserved 

 specimens retaining the shell. 



Remarks. — Phillips's figure by no means conveys an intelligible idea of his 

 original specimen. It is drawn obliquely in perspective, and is much restored. 

 Hence there has been much confusion in naming the specimens in museums. A 

 careful comparison with it, however, of the fossils enumerated above leads to a 

 much more definite understanding of the species. It is a form with a very wide 

 umbilicus, short convex whorls, very oblique chambers, simple suture-lines, a broad 

 keel defined by lateral furrows, and a for ward- arching mouth. There seems to be 

 some amount of variability in the form, some of the specimens, as one in the 

 British Museum (PI. V, fig. 7) and one or two of Mr, Vicary's, having distinctly 

 wider and less convex whorls, and thereby tending towards G. ohliqims. I do not, 

 however, think that this can indicate that the two are varieties of a single species, 

 for, as well as can be made out, the suture-lines are different, that of G. obliquus 

 being angulated on the side, and that of G. transitorins reaching the back in a 

 single sweep. 



1 am unable to see any resemblance to it in G. suhnautilinus (Beyrich), Clymenia 

 IcBvigata, Miinster, or other species to which it has been referred in collections. 



It agrees evidently with (/. hi canal ieulatus, Sandb., as shown in Sandberger's 

 figures ; and indeed he himself identifies his species with Phillips', although for 

 some reason he does not adopt the name. He remarks that having compared a 

 specimen in the Museum of Practical Geology with his fossils, it proved to be so 

 like a shell of his, G. hicanaliculatus, var. gracilis, that it might have been drawn 

 from it. G. Dannenhergi (Beyr.),^ however, with which he also identifies his species, 

 appears to differ in not being at all involute, and in having more rapidly increasing 

 whorls. 



P. A. Romer's^ figure of G. cBquahilis ? (Beyr.)'^ comes much nearer to our shell 

 than does Beyrich's original, but the umbilicus is slightly larger, the sides more 

 oblique, the back narrower, and the surface smooth ; though I have left it 

 among the synonyms, my impression is that it represents Beyrich's and not 

 Phillips's species. 



to the possibility of its containing further unrecognised type-specimens. We based our examination 

 on the cracks and other accidental marks on the fossils. The investigation was a matter of some 

 difficulty as his figures are not always all that could be desired, but we were well repaid by recovering 

 a large number of type-specimens, and in some instances, as in this case, getting much new light upon 

 his species. 



' 1837, Beyr., ' Beitr. Rhein. Ubergaugsg.,' p. 26, pi. i, figs. 5 a, b. 



2 1843, F. A. Kom., ' Verst. Harz.,' p. 34, pi. ix, figs. 13 a, b. 



* 1837, Beyr., 'Beitr. Rheiu. tJbergangsg.,' p. 31, pi. ii, figs. 1 a, b. 



