Vol. 50.] BRYOZOA FROM THE MIDDLE LIA8. 



7. On Cheilostomatous Bryozoa from the Middle Lias. 

 By Edwin A. Walford, Esq., F.G.S. (Read June 21st, 1893.) 



[Plates V.-VIL] 



I described in 1887, in my ' Notes on some Polyzoa from the Lias,' ' 

 what then appeared to be a well-marked cyclostomatous form of 

 bryozoa under the name of Tubulipora iuconstans. Since then, I 

 have detected and have recently made known the presence of cheilo- 

 stomatous species in the Inferior Oolite, and after long periods of 

 search I have acquired more perfect specimens of the Middle Lias 

 bryozoa. The exquisite preservation of these Liassic fragments enables 

 me, without doubt, to carry back the presence of the sub-order another 

 stage in geological time, and to add another link towards the better 

 understanding of the doubtful forms of the Palaeozoic rocks. 



At first I was inclined to associate the species with d'Orbigny's 

 genus Elect, ; but the long tubular zocecia, the orbicular as well as 

 the apparently triangular apertures, the ovoid opercula, and the 

 cistern-shaped cells show that the species must be placed elsewhere. 

 Nor does the modern reading of the genus Leprdlia allow of the 

 inclusion of these forms, though there are points of relationship. 

 Hence it becomes necessary to add a new genus to an already 

 over-burdened nomenclature : for this, then, I select the name 

 Cisternifera, from the shape of certain giant cells found thereon. 

 Their relationship to the cyclostomatous ovicell is probable. Further- 

 more, in some of the so-called Diastoporce in my collection from 

 the Great Oolite of Oxfordshire I have detected similar ovicells 

 (PL V. figs. 14 and 15), and I should say that those of Berenicea 

 ArcJiiaci, Haime, are undeveloped forms of kindred cells. That 

 author, in his excellent monograph, writes : — " I)es masses calcaires, 

 trois ou quatre fois plus grosses que les testules, lisses et de forme 

 ovalaire, sont eparses a la surface entre les testules et dans la rneme 

 direction que celles-ci. Ce sont vraisemblablement les restes des 

 capsules ovariennes.'' 2 His species came from the Inferior Oolite 

 of Longwy and Plappeville-les-Metz. There can be no doubt that 

 a considerable section of such diastoporidian forms will need to be 

 transferred to the Cheilostomata, but not until long-continued 

 search shall have yielded really good enough specimens. 



All the forms described are from the marlstone rock-bed of the 

 Middle Lias (zone of Ammonites spinatus), King's Sutton, North- 

 amptonshire, and are in my own collection. Specimens of the type- 

 form were also found in Mr. W. Lovell's quarry, when the stone 

 was quarried for iron ore, by Mr. Lines Griffin, E.R.C.S. The excel- 

 lence of preservation is due to the material having been enclosed in 



1 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xliii. pp. 632-(>3(>. pi. xxv. 



2 'Descr. des Bryoz. Foss. de hi Form, jurass.,' Mem. Geol. Soc. France 

 ser. 2, vol. v. (1854 )"p. 180, pi. iv. fig. 11. 



