78 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



2. Report on the Lower Green sand Fossils in the Possession of 

 the Geological Society. By Professor Edward Forbes, F.L.S. 



The collection of Lower Green Sand fossils at present in the 

 cabinets of the Society contains 131 species of Mollusca. Of these 

 82 are Lamellibranchiate Bivalves, 12 Brachiopoda, 23 Gastero- 

 poda, and 14 Cephalopoda. Besides these, all well-marked species, 

 there are a number of casts and fragments of species as yet unde- 

 termined. 



Of the 131 Mollusca, 60 are additions to the list of Lower Green 

 sand Fossils, published by Dr. Fitton in the " Geological Transac- 

 tions." Of these 60 additional species, between 30 and 40 are unde- 

 scribed forms. The remainder are species described in the memoirs 

 of Leymerie, D'Orbigny, Roemer, and other continental authors, 

 but which have been hitherto unrecorded as British, with the ex- 

 ception of a few included in Mr. Morris's catalogue. 



All the species have been critically examined, and characters 

 drawn up of such as are new. 



The collection can by no means be regarded as complete, numer- 

 ous additrons, including several very beautiful species, having been 

 very lately presented to the Society ; and these there has not as 

 yet been time to examine and place in the cabinets. 



Of the lower green sand Mollusca in the collection, 35 agree 

 with Neocomien species recorded by M. Leymerie, and about 30 

 with species from the Hillsthon and Hillsconglomerat of M. Yon 

 Roemer. Many species, which had received new names from those 

 geologists, have proved, on examination, to be well-known British 

 species, figured in the Mineral Conchology or elsewhere. . Among 

 these are several which are regarded on the Continent as charac- 

 teristic of the so-called Neocomien beds. . 



Of Radiata, there are in the collection about 12 speeies of 

 Polyparia and Amorphozoa, and 9 Echinodermata ; of Annelida 

 8 or 9 species, and several Crustacea. Additions to this part of 

 the collection are very desirable, especially better specimens of 

 Echinodermata. 



To complete the collection, fossils from the Speeton Clay, of 

 which there are none in the Society's possession, are much wanted. 

 The table now drawn up exhibits the species at present in the col- 

 lection, and their relation to the French lower green sand fauna, 

 and to that of Germany, as well as the British localities in which 

 they have occurred. It appears from this table that the greater 

 number of species are as yet only known as fossils of British 

 strata. 



[Note. It has been thought advisable to publish this report in its present form 

 in the " Proceedings," as a record of what was done at the time. The catalogue 

 referred to, enriched by many additions, and accompanied by figures of new 

 species, will, it is hoped, be shortly placed in the possession of the Fellows 

 of the Geological Society. — Ed.] 



