35 



limestone. A single species of this genus from the carbon- 

 iferous limestone of Europe has been described by Ehren- 

 berg, who asserts also that he has evidence of the existence 

 of foraminifera in the lower fossiliferous strata. 



It gives me great pleasure to offer the slight tribute of 

 the name of this ancient species to one who has done so 

 much for science in our country, and of whom it would be 

 superfluous for me to say, that he stands at the head of his 

 department ; — of whose quiet, untiring zeal, patient inves- 

 tigation, and philosophical deduction, every student of 

 science must speak with pride and satisfaction. 



The following species is from the upper carboniferous 

 limestone, or limestone of the coal measures. This lime- 

 stone becomes very important in the extreme west and 

 south-west, constituting the principal limestone formation 

 of the western territories, and is known on the west side of 

 the Rocky Mountains, extending from a high northern lati- 

 tude to Texas and Mexico. This limestone has been cross- 

 ed by all the Pacific Rail Road Surveys, and also by the line 

 of the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey ; as the 

 collections indicate. Capt. Stansbury's collections from 

 the Salt Lake region are from this rock. 



Terebratula millepunctata. — Shell ovate or elongate- 

 ovate ; front rounded or emarginate ; dorsal valve very 

 gibbous near the beak, strongly arcuate from beak to base, 

 and with a broad distinct sinus extending from the front 

 nearly to the beak ; beak of dorsal valve curved over that 

 of the other valve, obtusely angular on the sides below, and 

 compressed above ; foramen oval, situated a little above 

 the apex of the beak ; ventral valve very convex below 

 the beak, and depressed towards the front, sometimes nearly 

 straight from beak to front and declining laterally. Surface 



