^10 THE PALEONTOLOGY OF MINNESOTA. , . „ 



[Modlolopsis conoentrioa 



width of the mesial sulcus and the rapid descent of the surface included in it. 

 Umbonal ridge slight, cardinal slope, convex. In a dorsal view the anterior half of 

 the shell appears compressed, yet the point of greatest thickness is very near the 

 middle. of the length. Surface marked with simple concentric lines of growth. 

 Hinge plate very thin, without teeth or, appreciable thickening under the beak. 

 Muscular scars not observed. 



This peculiar species, which is decidedly mytiloid in appearance and probably 

 not a true Modiolppsis, is distinguished at- once from all known Lower Silurian 

 Lamellibranchiata, except M. arcuata Hall, by it's strongly arcuate form. Hall s 

 species is represented as larger and with a straight instead of convex back. 



Formation and locality. ^Ssivie as the preceding. 



MoDioLOPSis coNCENTEioA Hall and Whitfield. 



PLATE XXXVII, FIGS. 15 and 16. 

 Modiolopisis concentrirM HALL and Whitfield, ]875. Pal. Ohio, vol. ii, p. 86. 



Shell rather exceeding medium size, elongate ovate, highest in the posterior 

 half. Hinge line arcuate, gently declining toward the extremity and rounding gradu- 

 ally into the oblique posterior margin, the same curve continuing to the lower third 

 when it is sharpened in turning forward into the basal margin. The latter is gently 

 convex in the posterior half and anterior third, the part between being very slightly 

 concave. Anterior end very short, narrowly rounded. Beaks small, compressed, 

 projecting very little above the hinge. Surface of valves moderately convex, most . 

 prominent a little in front of and above the middle; this point is on the umbonal 

 ridge, which is low, broadly rounded, and not a conspicuous feature. Mesial sulcus 

 shallow, forming" an undefined depression across the valves from the beak to the 

 middle third of the basal margin. Surface marked on the cardinal slope and"poste- 

 rior end by regular, even, concentric furrows, four to six of them in 5 mm. in their 

 strongest parts. These furrows are most distinct along a line following the middle 

 of the cardinal slope; in crossing the umbonal ridge they become suddenly obsolete, 

 existing on the sides, basal portion, and anterior end only as fine irregular striae of 

 growth. 



In casts of the interior the concentric furrows are distinctly visible on the 

 posterior half of the cardinal slope. The mesial sulcus is much deeper and rather 

 sharply defined on the posterior side by a strongly convex ridge extending obliquely 

 across the cast from a point a short distance behind the beaks toward the basal 

 margin, which, if the ridge did not become obsolete before reaching it, would be 

 intersected at a point about three-fifths of the length of the shell behind the anterior 

 extremity. In front of this ridge the surface is impressed and flattened to the 



