184 



THE GEOLOGIST 



P. costatus, P. Youngianus, T. spimdosus, P. fimbriatus, P. aculeatus, and 

 P. mesolohus are also desiderata, and which will no doubt turn up sooner or 

 later, and thus enable palfeontologists to complete the descriptions of those 

 well marked species. 



Genus Chonetes. Fischer. 1837. 



As the character of the genus or sub-genus will be described under C. Har- 

 drensis, we need not in this place do more than to briefly observe that the 

 distinctly articulate hinge is the chief character by which Chonetes has been 

 separated from Procludus ; and that if those shells described by myself in the 

 Journal of the Geological Society as Chonetes comoides with strongly articulated 

 hinges belong in reality, as supposed by Prof, de Koninck, to P. heniisphr^ricus 

 (Sowerby), or to Producfiis at all, the regular articulation or non-articulation 

 of the valves could no longer be made use of as a character by which the two 

 groups could be distinguished. There is also a slight difference in the disposi- 

 tion of the quadruple impressions of the occlusor muscle in the dorsal valve of 

 Chonetes, which may claim attention. Chonetes, as weU as Prodiictiis, possessed 

 scattered tubular spines over its external surface ; but the disposition of those 

 along the cardinal edge of Chonetes is one of its less important distinguishing 

 features. We may also remark that although the general character of Pro- 

 duct'us is not to possess definite area, fissure, or pseudo-deltidium, these are by 

 exception present in some species of the last-named genus. 



A great many so termed species of carboniferous Chonetes have been recorded 

 in different works, but which could be most advantageously and properly re- 

 duced to a very small number ; and it has appeared to me that palaeontologists 

 have often forgotten that the ribs which ornament the species of this genus 

 were liable to become coarser or finer, fewer or more numerous, according to 

 the specimen or individual, as is the case with species of other genera. 



Rightly or wrongly, I have reduced the Scottish species to two only, 

 C. Uardmisis and C. Buchiana. Prof. Ramsay mentions C. papilionacea, 

 Phillips sp., with a point of doubt, as one of the shells he obtained in Arran ; 

 but as all my efforts to obtain the sight of a Scottish example of that species 

 have proved ineffectual, it is probable that the species has not been hitherto 

 discovered. 



(To be cordimied.) 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Geology of the Province or Auckland, New Zealand. — The 

 following particulars of the geology of Auckland, New Zealand, may be of 

 iutorest to some of our readers. They are condensed from the remarks of Dr. 

 P. Iloehstetter, in a lecture delivered to the members of the Auckland 

 Mecliauics' Institute during the past year ; and are the results of the geological 

 surxTY ()f those parts of the country which the Doctor has made. 



Having conipletcHl his survey autl a gcohigical map of the Auckland district, 

 he chose the southern portion of the province for his further researches. The 

 count rv there is inhabited almost exelut^ively by Maories, and has hitherto 

 been almost unknown, both tojiographic^ally aiid geologically; the northern dis- 



