246 
PALAEONTOLOGY OF NEW YORK. 
1882. Streptorhynchus, Whitfield. Geology of Wisconsin, vol. iv, p. 261, pi, xii, figs. 9, 10 ; p. 263, 
pi. xii, figs. 11-13. 
1883. /S 'trophomena, Davidson. British Silurian Brachiopoda, Supplement, p. 192, pi. xi, figs. 20, 21; 
pi. xii, fig. 30; pi. xvi, fig. 8. 
1883. Streptorhynchus, Hall. Second Ann. Rept. State Geologist N. Y., Expl., pi. xxxix, figs. 1-9, 
15-30; pi. xlii, figs. 10-15. 
1884. iStreptorhynchus, Walcott. Palaeontology Eureka District, p. 75, pi. xi, fig. 9. 
1887. Strophovnena, Shaler. Memoirs Kentucky Geological Survey, p. 13, plates 4 and 5. 
Probably no generic term among the brachiopoda has given rise to a greater 
diversity of expression of opinion among authors as to its value and applica¬ 
tion. In order to appreciate the inapplicability of the term as now current 
among the American and European writers, a brief resume of its history be¬ 
comes necessary. 
In 1820, C. S. Rafinesque made use of the term Strophomenes in the Annales 
Generates des Sciences Physiques de Bruxelles, vol. v, p. 232* This name was 
not accompanied either by a diagnosis or the citation of any species. The 
author, after speaking of the difficulties experienced in working out certain 
groups, says: 
“ Par exemple, parmi les terebratules, nous en avons observe plus de 60 
especes, que nous avons du ranger sous plusieurs nouveaux genres, tels que 
gonotrema, dictionia, diclisma, pleurinia, stropheria, strophomenes , clipsilis, etc., outre 
les vrais genres terehratula et produdus. Le seul G. gonotrema, qui comprend 
les terebratules a ouverture anguleuse ailongee et a charniere tronquee, etc., 
contient plus de 30 especes.” 
The term Strophomenes, Rafinesque, was afterwards used by Defrance, in 
1824, also without definition, in the “Tableau des Corps Organises Fossiles,” 
p. 6. In 1825, de BLAiNviLLEf made use of the term Strophomena, in the fol¬ 
lowing manner: 
“ Strophomene. Strophomena. —Animal tout-a-fait inconnu. Coquille regu- 
liere symetrique, equilaterale, subequivalve; une valve plate et 1’autre un peu 
excavee; articulation droite, transverse, offrant a droit et a gauche d’une 
* This paper does not appear in the “ Complete Writings of Constantine Smaltz Rafinesque on Recent 
and Fossil Conchology,” edited by William G. Binney and George W. Tryon, Jr. 1864. As the original 
paper has not been accessible, we are under obligations to Dr. H. A. Pilsby, of the Conchological Section 
of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science, for communicating the quotation given, 
t Manuel de Malaeologie et Conchyliologie, vol. i, p. 513, pi. liii, figs. 2, 2a. 
