FROM NORTHWESTERN EUROPE 5 
illustrated account of European brachiopods. Apart from these, there are also 
numerous papers and monographs dealing with smaller areas such as those of 
Struckmann (1878) on the region of Hannover and Rothpletz (1886) on the Vilser 
Alps. The latter, while strictly outside the area under consideration, includes 
important discussion on the higher taxonomy of many of the species described. 
LOWER VOLGIAN 
KIMMERIDGIAN 
OXFORDIAN 
Fic.1. The nomenclature of the Upper Jurassic zones and stages used in this study, following 
the recommendation of the British Mesozoic Committee as reported by Ager (1964). 
During the present century there has been relatively little investigation of the 
Upper Jurassic rhynchonellids. Buckman (1918), as part of his “ Burma Memoir ”’, 
completely revised the taxonomy of the Jurassic rhynchonellids but this revision 
was largely based on Lower and Middle Jurassic British material and few of the 
species here described can be attributed to his genera. With regard to Buckman’s 
work, Ager (1956) wrote, ‘““ His (Buckman’s) classification is not now accepted, his 
terminology is unnecessarily complex and his emphasis in description is frequently 
misdirected’. In 1917 Rollier produced his ‘‘ Synopses ”’ in which he attempted to 
elucidate the synonymies and redefine all Jurassic brachiopod species. While this 
work contains many useful suggestions, it was apparently undertaken without any 
reference to original specimens and consequently contains many misconceptions as a 
