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XVII.  Descriptions  of  some  new  Species  of  Cuvier's  Family  of  Brachiopoda.  By 
W.  J.  Broderip,  Esq.,  Vice-Pres.  of  the  Geological  and  Zoological  Societies, 
F.R.S.,  L.S.,  &;c. 
Communicated  November  26,  1833. 
Among  the  great  additions  to  our  zoological  information  contributed  by  Mr.  Cuming, 
some  of  the  species  about  to  be  described  will  hold  a  distinguished  place,  in  consequence 
of  the  opportunity  which  their  preservation  in  spirit  has  afforded  to  my  friend  Mr.  Owen 
for  giving  the  details  of  the  anatomy  of  Cuvier's  family  of  Brachiopoda,  with  that 
acuteness  and  accuracy  which  mark  his  researches. 
This  family  is,  moreover,  very  interesting  from  its  geological  relations.  The  dif- 
ferent species  of  Terehratula  assist  in  the  identification  of  strata  from  the  supracreta- 
ceous  group  to  some  of  the  lowest  formations  in  the  grauwacke  series,  both  inclusive ; 
Orbicula  is  said  to  have  been  found  in  the  lower  green-sand  of  Sussex,  in  the  Speeton  clay 
of  Yorkshire,  in  both  the  great  and  the  inferior  oolite,  in  the  carboniferous  limestone, 
and  in  the  Ludlow  rock  below  the  old  red  sandstone  ;  and  Lingula  in  the  inferior  oohte 
of  Yorkshire,  in  the  old  red  sandstone  formation,  and  in  other  old  fossiliferous  beds. 
That  the  organization  of  the  recent  animals  is  the  same  with  that  of  those  species  which 
lived  and  died  thousands  of  years  ago,  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  and  we  may  thus  form 
some  conclusion  as  to  the  nature  of  those  most  ancient  seas  wherein  the  fossils  existed. 
Genus.  Terebratula,  Brug. 
1.  Terebratula  Chilensis. 
Tab.  XXII.  Fig.  1. 
Ter.  testa  suborbiculari,  gibbci,  albente,  radiatim  striata,  striis  latioribus,  margine  subcre- 
nulato,  subflexuoso. 
Long.  If  poll.,  lat.  Lf-,  crass.  -|-. 
Hob.  in  sinu  Valparaiso, 
Mus.  Cuming. 
This  species  varies  much  in  size  and  appearance.  In  the  older  shells  the  radiated 
stri(S  almost  disappear ;  and  ver}'  young  individuals  are  nearly  smooth  and  oblong ; 
while  those  of  intermediate  growth  have  the  strife  strongly  marked.  The  specimen 
of  which  the  anatomy  is  given  is  a  very  young  one,  and  the  dimensions  above 
recorded  are  those  of  the  largest  which  I  have  seen.  Tlie  length  is  taken  from  the  ex- 
treme end  of  the  perforation  to  the  opposite  rim,  the  breadth  from  an  imaginary  line 
u  2 
