ORYCTOLOGY. 
imbedded in the lime-stone of Gloucester- 
shire. Dentalia, apparently similar to ex- 
isting species, have been found in Hamp- 
shire, and in some parts of France and 
Italy, exceedingly well preserved. In Italy 
also have been found specimens of Serpul®, 
very similar to those which are known re- 
cent; but others have been found in France 
exceedingly difierent from any known re- 
cent species. 
The Orthoceratites, a lapidified conical 
or cylindrical chambered shell, the septa 
dividing the chambers of which are perfo- 
rated like those of the Nautilus, is a genus 
of which not a species is known in a recent 
state, excepting the microscopic specimens 
found by Plaucus in the sand of the Uimi- 
nian shore. Much is wanting to complete 
the history of this fossil, since from the 
state in which the specimens have in gene- 
ral been found, very few, or perhaps none, 
have been obtained perfect. Authors have 
divided them into those which are straight 
(Plate II. fig. 8.), and those which have a 
spiral termination, the latter of which are 
considered as fossil shells of the Nautilus 
Jituus; but the extraordinary disparity of 
size is sufficient to shew that they can hardly 
be considered of the same species, the re- 
cent shell being seldom more than an inch 
in length, whilst the fossil is described as 
being sometimes the size of a man’s arm. 
The Belemnite (Plate II. fig. 7.) is a spa- 
those radiated stone, generally conical, but 
sometimes possessing a fusiform figure, and 
contains, in an appropriate cavity at its 
larger end, a smaller calcareous body (afeco 
lus) which has evidently been a concame- 
rated shell, the septse of which are pierced 
like those of the preceding fossil. These 
fossils are from an eighth of an inch to two 
inches in thickness, and from an inch to a 
foot and a half in length. They are some- 
times found imbedded in chalk or lime- 
stone, and sometimes in pieces of flint ; 
but they are most frequently detached from 
their matrix. Various have been the opi- 
nions respecting this fossil ; some have con- 
sidered it as the horn of a narwhal, and 
others as a concretion formed in the penni- 
cilla marina, or in some shell of the denta- 
liuni kind. Some have even supposed it to 
be of vegetable origin, whilst others have 
considered it as entirely belonging to the 
mineral kingdom. But that the Belemnite 
originally existed in the sea, is evident from 
its being commonly found with the remains 
of the undoubted inhabitants of the ocean, 
and that it is of an animal nature, is ren- 
dered evident by its structure. Among the 
coucamerated fossil shells may be placed 
the Helicites, or nummular, or lenticular 
stones. These are round flattish bodies ; 
but in general of a lenticular form, both 
sides possessing a slight degree of convex- 
ity. On each side are sometimes seen 
traces of its internal structure and of its 
spiral formation; whilst sometimes these 
appearances appear to be concealed by a 
thicker covering. Various opinions have 
been entertained respecting their origin, 
but no doubt can exist of their having ex- 
isted in the ancient ocean as a spiral cham- 
bered shell, and of their being one of those 
species of animals which are now lost. 
Among the fossil shells which can only be 
here enumerated, are the rare tuberculated 
tnrrilite, or chambered turbinated shell, the 
orbulites, planulites, and baculites of La- 
marck. 
Insects of the smaller kinds are seldom 
found in a fossil state, the smallness of their 
size and the delicacy of their structure 
most probably preventing their preserva- 
tion. Those which are in a state to allow 
any thing of their general form to be made 
out are consequently veiy few. The one 
which is generally found in the most per- 
fect condition, is that which is generally 
known to ns as the Dudley fossil, from its 
being found in the neighbourhood of Dudley, 
in AForcestershire. (Plate II. fig. 5.) Other 
species of this animal have been found in 
Wales, and in diiferent parts of Germany. 
From the imperfect state in which these 
insects are found, little more, perhaps, can 
be said of thepi, except tliat the remains 
which have been examined shew that the 
covering of their body was formed by three 
series of thick crnstaceous plates, trans- 
versely disposed in rows, the length of the 
body; whilst one plate served to give a 
covering to the head of the animal. Other 
remains of the smaller insects have been 
mentioned by different authors; but few- 
er none appear to have been described as 
agreeing with any insect now known to be 
in existence. 
The remains of lobsters, and crabs, are 
frequently found in the isle of Sheppey, and 
Malta. The remains of different species of 
these animals are also found in a compress- 
ed state in the margaceous and schistous 
masses of Pappenheim and Oppenheim. 
The fossil remains of amphibia are very 
numerous, and supply us with ample ex- 
ercise for inquiry and admiration. In dif- 
ferent parts of F.ngland, particularly in 
