240 G. H. Girty—Triticites. 



and as my material agrees with Say's description as far as it 

 goes, I have little doubt that it is the same species for which 

 the name was first employed. My investigations have been 

 carried sufficiently far to show that most if not all of the so- 

 called Fasulinas of the Mississippi Valley belong to Triticites. 

 I am not prepared to express an opinion as to whether several 

 or, as has generally been assumed, but a single species occurs 

 there. The second species described by Say, under the name 

 of M. centralis, is doubtfully distinguished by the characters 

 pointed out by its author. Say's description of Miliolites 

 secalicus is framed in the following words, and can be ampli- 

 fied from the descriptions and figures here presented : 



"29. On the Missouri near the Platte occur masses of rock, 

 which seem to be almost exclusively composed of a remarkable 

 petrifaction, belonging to the family of concamerated shells. 

 This shell is elongated, fusiform, and when broken transversely, 

 it exhibits the appearance of numerous cells disposed spirally 

 as in the JVummulite, but its longitudinal section displays only 

 deep grooves. The shell was therefore composed of tubes or 

 syphons, placed parallel to each other, and revolving laterally 

 as in the genus Melonis of Lamarck, with which its characters 

 undoubtedly correspond. But as in the transverse fracture, its 

 spiral system of tubes cannot be traced to the center in any of 

 the numerous specimens we have examined, it would seem to 

 have a solid axis, and consequently belongs to that division of 

 the genus that Montfort regards as distinct, under the name 

 of Miliolites, which seems to be similar to the Fasciolites of 

 Parkinson, and altogether different from the Miliolites of 

 Lamarck. Our specimens are conspicuously striated on the 

 exterior, which distinction, together with their elongated fusi- 

 form shape, sufficiently distinguish then as species from the 

 sabulosus which Montfort describes as the type of his genus. 

 .No aperture is discoverable in this shell, but the termination 

 of the exterior volution very much resembles an aperture as 

 long as the shell. 



The length is three-tenths of an inch. And its greatest 

 breadth, one-twelfth. 



We call it Miliolites secalicus, Say. Mr. T. Nuttall informs 

 me, that he observed it in great quantities high up the 

 Missouri. 



In the same mass were some segments of the Encrinus, and 

 a Terebratula with five or six obtuse longitudinal waves." 



