182 GASTEROPODA OF THE INFERIOR OOLITE. 



Shell elongate, but slightly turrited ; spiral angle nearly regular. Whorls about 

 twelve, flattish, sutures wide but varying. Each whorl is ornamented by three 

 strong nodular spirals, of which the two posterior are somewhat removed from the 

 third, the centre one being usually the weakest, an indistinct fourth spiral line may 

 sometimes be noticed. The longitudinals are prominent, and extend throughout 

 the shell in an almost continuous series with a twist from left to right. 



Base depressed and marked with three spiral lines. Aperture confined, and 

 suborbicular, with a considerable callous deposit on the columella, which is extremely 

 short. Other indications wanting. 



Relations and Distribution. — The above description is sufficiently near to the 

 original diagnosis of Deslongchamps to leave little doubt that this is at least a 

 variety of C. scobina. It occurs very rarely in the Inferior-Oolite Sands, the figured 

 specimen being described by the late Mr. Witchell as from " the base of the Sands, 

 Nailsworth." Tate, on the authority of Lycett, speaks of G. scobina from the 

 " Upper-Lias Sands, Upper zone, Nailsworth." It is related to Gryptaulax tortilis, 

 H. and D., which may be regarded as the generalised representative of the group 

 on several horizons. Gryptaulax scobina also occurs towards the base of the 

 Yeovil Sands at East Cliff, near Bridport Harbour. 



112. Ciiyptaulax tortilis, Hebert and Deslongchamps, 1860. Plate XI, figs. 12 a — c. 



1860. Ceeithium toetile, jET. and D. Poss. Montreuil-Bellay, p. 39, pi. vi, 



figs. 1, a — e. 

 1884. Cf. also Exelissa toetilis, H. and D. Cossmann, Etage Bathonien, 



p. 123, pi. xiv, fig. 46. 

 Non Cebithium toetile, Eudes Deslongchamps. Mem. Soc. Linn. Norm., vol. vii, 



p. 200, pi. xi, fig. 15. 



Bibliography, fyc. — The authors observe that this species might almost be 

 ranked with the Turritellas. They make the diagnosis very comprehensive so as to 

 include a number of varieties. It is thus that Gryptaulax tortilis comes to have a 

 wide range both in time and space. Originally described from the Callovian of 

 Montreuil-Bellay, where it attains a length of about 14 or 15 mm., a variety of it 

 about 10 mm. in length, with only three spirals, occurs at Hutka 1 in Poland, on 

 what is stated to be the same horizon. The subjoined description refers more 

 especially to varieties occurring in the Inferior Oolite of England. 

 Description : 



Length . . . . .15 mm. 



Width . . . . 4^ mm. 



Spiral angle .... 15° — 17°. 



1 Specimens from this locality are in the Museum of the Geological Society of London. 



