NOTES AND QUERIES. 
265 
Opercula from the Paludina-bed at Peckham. — Dear Sir, — The accom- 
panying figures represent some impressions which occur in the Paludina-bed at 
Peckham, to which deposit reference has before been made in " The Geologist 
(see vol. ii., pp. 151 and 208). Pigure 1 is the most abundant variety, and 
is of a roundish form, with a sub-central nucleus and concentric markings. 
Opercula from the Paludina Bed, Peckham (natural size). 
Having, by the kindness of Mr. Pickering, compared this with recent 
examples, I think there can be little doubt that it is the operculum of Paludina 
lenta, which is present in such vast numbers in this stone, I have lately found 
one with the horny matter preserved. 
Figure 2, of which 1 have seen but one specimen, and that one not quite 
perfect, resembles figure 1 in the sub-central nucleus and concentric markings ; 
but differs much from it in shape, being oblong, rounded at one end, and 
becoming narrower (almost pointed) at the other. I imagine that this operculum 
must have belonged to a shell with an elongated aperture. Two species of 
Paludina occur in this bed, but all the specimens I have seen have rounded 
mouths. 
I have not seen a figure of P. aspem ; but P, Iksnoyerm, to which the 
other species is considered to be related, is figured with a rounded mouth by 
Deshayes. 
It being very difficult to obtain Paludinse with the mouth perfect, either at 
Peckham or Dulwich, I cannot state for certain that the specimen, fig. 2, is not 
the operculum of Paludina aspera. 
The only other univalve that I have met with in the Paludina-band is tlie 
Pitharella Rickmanii. The operculum No. 2, will correspond with the 
aperture of that shell; but I find that the Auriculida;, Achatinidse, and 
Lymneidse, to which families Mr. Edwards considers Pitharella is related, have 
no opercula. 
At a recent meeting of the Geologists' Association, Mr. Pickering expressed 
doubts as to the correctness of Mr. Edwards' views, and considered Pitharella 
to be more nearly allied to Ampullaria. This question, however, I must leave 
to more experienced conchologists than myself. 
While on this subject 1 should like to know whether Mr. Edwards described 
Pitharella, after a comparison of specimens, both from the Paludina-band at 
Peckham and Dulwich, and also from the shell-rock at the latter place. The 
shells that I have seen from the Dalwich shcll-rock differ so much (being longer 
in proportion to their breadth) from those of the Paludina-band which occurs 
above it, at bothPeckham and Dulwich, that I should have thought they belonged 
to two distinct species of the same genus. 
I may add that I think some public notice should be taken of the fact that 
the first specimen of the Peckham Pitharella was discovered by Mr. Edmund 
Jones, in the strata at Cow-lane, Peckham, and was by him submitted to 
several geologists (who then considered it to be Volidu denudata), some time 
before the excavations for the main drainage were commenced. — Yours truly, 
C. Evans. 
That Mr. Edmund Jones has not had the credit of being the original finder 
[Supplement to the " Geologist," No. 42] 
