THE EAUNA OE THE NEOCOMIAN. 5 



natural explanation and Duval-Jouve has discussed this question on page 26 of the 

 memoir quoted, without, however, arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. To me it 

 seems beyond any doubt that these holes are produced by some sort of a parasite, 

 not improbably during the animal's life, and that they have nothing whatever to do 

 with the structtire of the guard. 



Varieties. — Belemnitea subfusiformis includes a number of varieties which are 

 chiefly remarkable by the varying proportion of the length to the diameter of the 

 guard. On plate I, fig. 13, two fragments of a specimen are figured, which was 

 certainly not under 60 mm. in length, while its largest diameter measured slightly 

 over 5 mm.; fig. 11, on the other hand, measuring 62 mm. in length, has a diameter 

 of nearly 11 mm. As this observation has already been made by previous authors, 

 it is useless to dwell longer on it ; it will be sufficient to say that Belemnites sub- 

 fusiformis from Baluchistdn forms no exception in this respect. It may, however, 

 be useful to describe in more detail some fragments of a large species which 

 I have referred with some doubt to this species as var. BalucMstanensis, but which 

 might perhaps represent a new form. Unfortunately they are too badly preserved 

 to decide this question. It is sufficient to draw attention to the fact that this 

 species — if it is really only a variety of Belemnites subfusiformis — must have attained 

 a considerable size in Baluchistdn. The two largest fragments measure 83 mm. in 

 length without any trace of the ventral canal or alveolar cavity being visible. The 

 largest diameter below the plane of fracture measures 19 mm., at the anterior broken 

 end it measures 16 only. In general shape they resemble Belemnites subfusiformis ^ 

 but we may suppose that the guard tapered slightly towards the anterior and more 

 rapidly towards the posterior end. 



These specimens have been chiefly found in a bed of what is probably volcanic 

 ash, which has apparently somewhat affected their surfaces : under these circum- 

 stances nothing can be said for the present as to the dorso-lateral furrows, whether 

 such were present or not, and the whole question of the identity of these large speci- 

 mens must be left open until farther and better preserved material has been pro- 

 cured. 



Locality and stratigraphical position.— ChaTpT^av Eift, Sembar pass, B^ji 

 valley, Bolan pass, Sonari hill, Dunghdn mountain ; var. Baluchistanensis, Jali, 

 Robdar valley, in volcanic ash. 



Bemarks.^As 1 was able to compare typical specimens of Belemnites sub- 

 fmiformis from Castellane with those collected in Baluchistan, I could convince 

 myself of the identity of both forms, which differ only in the mode of preservation 

 the guard of the Baluchistan specimens being black, those from Castellane brown ; 

 otherwise it would be difficult to tell one from the other. Belemnites subfusiformis 

 is the most common species in Baluchistdn and far exceeds the other forms in fre- 

 quency of occurrence. 



