A. CHAMPERNOWNE ON SOME DEVONIAN STROMATOPORIDA. 67 
4, Norz on some Devonian Stromatoporipm from Darrineton near 
Tornas. By A. Coamprrnowne, Hsq., F.G.S. (Read June 5, 
1878.) 
I prstre to present to the Society some specimens chiefly repre- 
senting what some observers look upon as the natural group, and 
others as the heterogeneous mixture named Stromatoporide. 
I have for some time been finding these fossils in large numbers ; 
and as the subject has of late aroused considerable interest, it 
occurred to me that the Geological Society might be glad to possess 
a few from this locality. 
I will not pretend to offer a decided opinion myself as to which 
set of observers are right, and yet, as far as the important question 
of the original constitution of the skeleton is concerned, I think it 
is very hard to believe in the uniform replacement of siliceous by 
calcareous matter in all or nearly all of these forms, and from so 
many different localities. On the other hand it is difficult to regard 
them as forming a compact group of Calcispongie, since whatever 
may be held as to their embracing true Hexactinellid (and, if so, 
siliceous structures), or, again, Foraminiferal structures, they clearly 
seem to embrace structures similar to that of the Miulleporide. 
Among these some varieties of Cawnopora (Stromatopora) placenta 
(Lonsd.) are remarkable. 
I may perhaps be pardoned for referring to some words of Prof. 
Phillips in describing this organism (Pal. Foss. Cornwall, Devon, &e., 
p- 18), where he mentions the “larger . . . open(?), non-lamelli- 
ferous (?) tubes, persistent through the whole mass.” I have, in 
several beautiful sections from the neighbourhood of Teignmouth, 
observed most distinctly that the axis of the tube is not open, but 
is lamelliferous, giving some appearance of a columella, and is quite 
unlike any true sponge-structure with which I am acquainted, and 
equally unlike a true Stromatopora (such as S. concentrica or 
polymorpha). 
With regard to their mode of occurrence at Dartington, the 
specimens sent are all from dolomitic beds (“ Pit-Park” quarry) ; 
but some of the group are always found wherever the limestone is 
fossiliferous. The rock is light-coloured, highly crystalline at the 
above-named quarry, is worked for road-metal, and at one spot, 
which has been left for some time unworked on account of the 
friable, almost sandy, condition of a small piece, these fossils occur. 
They are associated with Alveolites, Havosites cervicornis (v.reticulata), 
Heliolites porosus, Cystiphyllum vesiculosum, Heliophyllum, Cyatho- 
phylla (simple), Crinoidal joints, pelvic plates of Hewacrinus (rare), 
and occasional Brachiopoda (among which Mr. Davidson recognized 
Spiriferina cristata (v. octoplicaia); and from a quarry in an ad- 
joining field the specimens of Uncites gryphus now in the Museum 
of the Geological Survey were derived. 
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