part 4] OF THE MIOCENE OF CEYLON". 599 



Ciiione (Omphaloclathrum) granosa (J. de C. Sowerby). 



1840. Venus granosa J. de C. Sowerby, Trans. Geol. Soc. ser. 2, vol. v, 

 pi. xxv, fig - . 7. 



This species is abundant at Minihagalkanda, and is accompanied 

 by the probably nearly related species Venus cancelled a J. de C. 

 Sowerlry. Externall}*, C. granosa is identical in all but its slightly 

 smaller size with the recent Tapes denticulata G. B. Sowerby. 1 

 It shows moreover close resemblance to Dosina listeri Gray, a 

 recent species recorded by Martin from the Miocene of Java, and 

 to Venus crispata Deshayes, also recent. It seems less close to 

 V. sowerbyi Deshayes, with which Ncetling identified it. All these 

 species may be referred to the section Omplialoclatlirum of the 

 genus Chione, despite the criticisms of Jukes-Browne, 3 if we 

 prefer a genetic classification to one which is purely morphological. 



Strombus spp. 



Moderately small specimens of Strombus (35 to 45 mm. long) 

 are very abundant at Kirimalai and fairly common at Miniha- 

 galkanda ; while a single rather large specimen (nearly 80 mm.) 

 comes from Pallai. In all these cases, unfortunately, we have 

 only internal casts, sometimes with a little test adhering, while 

 lumps of crystalline matrix often obscure the outline. In no 

 case can so essential a feature as the form of the outer lip be 

 determined. Consequently, true specific determinations are not 

 feasible, and the fossils can only be roughly classified as follows : — 



(1) With only one row of tubercles on the 

 last whorl. 



The large form from Pallai (Brit. Mus. Gr. 27040) resembles in 

 outline young specimens of S. tricornis Lamarck, which retain the 

 early straightness of outline of the last whorl. It also resembles 

 the South European Helvetian S. bonellii Brongniart, except in 

 not having the second row of tubercles. It is also comparable 

 with the holotype of S. nodosus J. de C. Sowerby, a Kach species ; 

 but that is too badly preserved for the absence of a second row 

 of tubercles to be asserted with complete certainty. 



Several specimens from Minihagalkanda show resemblance to 

 S. karikalensis Cossmann (Pliocene of Karikal), and to S. isabella, 

 var. thersites Martin (Pliocene ? — localities Sonde and Meneng- 

 teng — of Java), but attain a larger size (full length probably 

 = 60 mm.). One, at least, from Kirimalai shows even closer 

 resemblance to S. karikalensis, and is but slightly larger. 



Another Minihagalkanda specimen shows near resemblance to 

 S.fortisi A. & H. (non Brongniart, the true fortisi being an 

 Upper Eocene — Auversian — species). 



1 'Thesaurus Conchyliorum ' vol. ii (1855) p. 694 & pi. cl, fig. 114. 



2 Proc. Malac. Soc. vol. xi (1914) pp. 70-72. 



Q. J. G. S. No. 316. 2 s 



