36 BRITISH CARBONIFEROUS BRACHIOPODA. 



the lateral portions of the valve ; it is also rather more rhomboidal, and in some examples 

 the sinus is less excavated towards the front than is the case with typical examples of the 

 species under description. 1 M. Semenow adopts Professor De Koninck's views on this 

 subject ; but in order that each person may be better able to form his own opinion, I may 

 here mention that figs. 2 to 8 represent what Professor Phillips considers his 

 Sp. rhomboidea, while 9 to 15 are types of Sp. convohta. There would, however, exist 

 some risk in adopting Professor De Koninck's supposition relative to Sp. fusiform is, from 

 the fact that the original type specimen of this species, now in the British Museum, is 

 smooth, and not ribbed, as Professor Phillips's illustration would seem to imply. Lastly, 

 M. De Koninck further observes that " it is very probable that Martin may have created 

 his Anomites acutus (figs. 5 and 6 of our PI. VII) on a similar specimen (Sp. rhomboidea)," 

 but I do not consider we have sufficient grounds for this supposition. Martin's figure has 

 been so differently interpreted, and there appears to exist so much doubt as to the species 

 to which it really belongs, that I have considered it preferable to completely erase the 

 name from the nomenclature, than to continue to discuss a matter on which no certain 

 conclusions can be arrived at. 



Loc. Bolland and Kildare are given by Phillips as the localities whence his 

 specimens were derived. Mr. Parker has it from Clitheroe Quarry, Lancashire, and it is 

 also found at Vise, in Belgium. The var. rhomboidea seems to be more abundant. 



Sririfera laminosa, M'Coy. Plate VII, figs. 17 — 22. 



Spirifer hystericus, De Koninck. Animaux fossiles de la Belgique, p. 236, pi. xv, 



fig. 3, 1843 (not of Schlotheim). 

 Cyrtia laminosa, M'Coy. Synopsis of the Carb. Fossils of Ireland, p. 137, pi. xxi, 

 fig. 4, 1844. 

 — speoiosa, M'Coy. Synopsis, p. 134 (not of Schlotheim). 

 Spirifer tricornis, De Koninck. Animaux fossiles de la Belgique (Supplement), 

 p. 657, 1851. 

 — laminosa, M'Coy. British Palaeozoic Fossils, p. 426, 1855. 



Spec. Char. Transversely sub-rhomboidal ; valves unequally convex, the ventral one 



1 Professor Phillips's description in the 'Geol. of Yorkshire,' vol. ii, p. 217, is as follows : 



" Sp. rhomboidea, pi. ix, figs. 8, 9, Bolland, Ireland. 

 " Width fully double the length, extremities sub-cylindrical, cardinal area very wide, mesial fold defined; 

 surface radiated with obtuse smooth sulci. The great proportionate width of the cardinal area is a strong 

 character, yet it very much resembles both Sp. convoluta, Ph., and Sp. attenuata, Sow., ' M. C.,' t. 562, 

 but the ribs of that species are bolder and the mesial fold is different." 

 Professor Phillips also describes as follows his — 



"Sp. convoluta, Phil., pi. ix, fig. 7, Bolland. 

 ** Width four times the length ; cardinal area concave, surface obtusely and unequally radiated." 



