90 BRITISH BELEMNITES. 
In the preceding pages I have endeavoured to describe all the forms of Liassic 
Belemnites of which I have been enabled to study sufficient examples. Under very 
favorable circumstances a few characteristic forms have been traced completely from very 
young to quite mature specimens—for example, 8. L/minstrensis (P|. XII). Some have 
been collected in such great numbers as to leave no doubt of their possessing a real re- 
lationship—e. g. B. /evis (Pl. X); others possess such peculiarities of form and structure, 
amid many variations, as to allow of their being quoted without fear from very distant 
localities—e. g. B. clavatus (P\. II). 
Some cases have occurred of forms which, if not really very rare, have not yet 
been collected in sufficient number to allow of giving more than the description fitting to 
a particular age of the animal, as B. excavatus, B. calcar, B. dens, on Pl. 11. In handling 
these curious species I have been guided by the experience acquired in examining the other 
more favorable cases, and I hope the results will be found trustworthy in the main. But 
Iam most anxious to be furnished with more, many more, examples of Belemnites of 
various magnitudes, from the largest to the least, which may be collected from one limited 
Land of Lias, at one definite place. For instance, in the greatly reduced band of Upper 
Lias clays in the Vale of Gloucester, near Dursley and Wotton-under-Edge, Belemnites 
occur with Ammonites bifrons, as well as others in the Marlstone below, and in the sands 
and Cephalopodal bed above. If any one to whom this may reach would devote a few 
days to extract a few dozens of Belemnites of all magnitudes from each of the beds 
named, taken separately, preserving carefully the fragments which belong to each specimen, 
and would send them to me for study, the conclusions to which I shall soon request atten- 
tion as to the geological succession of Liassic life, and the changes of form which accompany 
the transition from Liassic to Oolitic sediments, might acquire a considerable augmentation 
of value. I did once make sucha collection (1843), and was in hopes that it might have 
been preserved in a museum which contains very many paleontological data gathered 
under my direction, but ill-fortune befell them after they left my hands. 
The reader will doubtless remark that of the Liassic species mentioned by previous 
English authors the following are not described by me: 
B. aduncatus of Miller, said to be from Weymouth and Lyme, pp. 5 and 8. 
B. trifidus, Voltz, Whitby, p. 8. 
B. brevirostris, D’Orbigny, Cheltenham, p. 11. 
Of the first I possess a specimen—Liassic. It appears to me an exaggerated variety 
of B. elongatus. 
Many Liassic Belemnites exhibit a tendency to recurvation of the apex, the ventral 
portion being more or less curved upwards or towards the back. Even when both the 
ventral and dorsal outlines curve to meet, or towards meeting, the ventral curve is often 
most decided, and carries off the apex towards the dorsal line, so as to make it project in 
