Maryland Geological Survey 441 



ment in our existing seas, where some of the species grow to great sizes.'' — 

 Meek, 1876. 1 



Later collections and investigations have produced further evidence in 

 favor of the general observations made by Meek some forty years ago. 

 The genus is restricted in its distribution to the Cretaceous of Xorth 

 America. 



Piestochilus bella (Gabb) Whitfield 



Volutilithes bella Gabb, 1860, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 2d ser., vol. iv, 



p. 300, pi. xlviii, fig. 7. 

 Fulguraria bella Gabb, 1862, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila. for 1861, p. 364. 

 Rostellites bella Meek, 1864, Check List Inv. Fossils, N. A., Cret. and Jur.. 



p. 21. 

 Rostellites bellus Conrad, 1868, Cook's Geol. of New Jersey, p. 729. 

 Volutomorpha bella Gabb, 1876, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., p. 293. 

 Volutomorpha (Piestochilus) bella Whitfield, 1892, Mon. U. S. Geol. Survey, 



vol. xviii, p. 74, pi. vi, figs. 15-18. 

 Volutomorpha bella Johnson, 1905, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., p. 25. 

 Piestochilus bella Weller, 1907, Geol. Survey of New Jersey, Pal., vol. iv, 



p. 782, pi. xcvi, figs. 1-4; pi. xcii, figs. 4, 5. 



Description. — " Shell fusiform, slender ; whorls, five ; spire elevated ; 

 mouth about three-fifths the length of the shell; two folds on the colu- 

 mella; surface markings unknown. A cast." — Gabb, 18G0. 



Type Locality. — Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, Delaware. 



" Shell as shown by the cast, elongate, fusiform, and slender, with mod- 

 erately full volutions and distinct suture lines; spire short, the body volu- 

 tion as viewed from the front forming from three-fourths to four-fifths of 

 the entire length, and the narrow, anteriorly prolonged aperture more than 

 one-half of the length; volutions four or more in number, the last one 

 most ventricose above the middle of its length and narrowed and pro- 

 longed below; columella showing two strong oblique folds at about the 

 middle of the aperture; surface unknown." — Whitfield, 1892. 



Only a fragment of a cast, apparently a litle less slender and more 

 angular in outline than the type, has been very dubiously referred to this 

 species. 



Occurrence. — Monmouth Formation. ? Two miles west of Delaware 

 City, on John Higgins farm, Delaware. 



1 Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey Terr., vol. ix, p. 356. 



