VINE : BRITISH PALEOZOIC CTENOSTOMATOUS POLYZOA. 85 
studied. The only objection to their proper recognition as members 
of this group, is that all the fossil forms known to me are "repent" 
and attached to foreign bodies, whereas the recent forms, generally 
speaking, are erect. 
Vinella repens, Ulrich., var. contorta, pi. III., figs. 5-7. 
Zoarium repent, very much contorted, and occasionally the 
thread-like stolons cross each other at right angles so as to form 
radial prolongations. The stolons are marked on the surface by 
porous openings similar to V. repens, so that it is really difficult to 
keep the forms apart otherwise than for convenience of reference. 
Locality and Horizon : Upper Silurian ; Buildwas Beds of the 
Wenl ock Shales, Shropshire. 
A reference to Mr. Ulrich' s unmagnified figure of V. repens 
(op. cit. ) which is attached to the "inner side of a thin variety of 
btreptorhynchus jilitextus, Hall," will show that the species embrace 
forms very similar to the one separated to make the present variety. 
My reasons fur the separation may be briefly stated. In Mr. Ulrich's 
figure (see op. cit., p. 174) the central point of attachment is very 
different from our own V. repens, and the branching of the rays are 
also different. Both the American and the British forms show struc- 
tural features at this intersection, but the characteristic features of 
the British variety may be seen in figures 6, 6a, and 7, pi. III. I have 
not the least doubt but that several examples of these primitive 
organisms may be found in the cabinets of working palaeontologists, 
and as these may be awaiting recognition or description, it would be 
advantageous to scientific investigation to know to which particular 
type they refer their examples. I anticipate some valuable hints in 
the future respecting the distribution in the Pakeozoic rocks of the 
genera Vinella and Ascodictyon, hence my desire to fix the types of 
the species and varieties described. 
Family Ascodictyonim, Ulrich. 
1890. Geological Survey of Illinois, vol. viii., p. 367. 
Zoaria aduate, consisting of radially arranged filiform, fusiform, 
or bulbus Zooecia: or of subfusiform uniserial cells. Substance, 
corneo-calcareous. 
