some respects it closely resembles O. canaliculatum, (Sow.) of the English Wenlock.

4. Theca Forbesii,—(Sharpe.) A little Pteropod in Mr. Honeyman's collection, appears perfectly identical with this species which is found in the Ludlow of England, and which resembles the T. triangularis, (Hall) of New York.

5. Pleurotomaria,-A flattish species with four turns, and inter esting as being apparently the same with one common in the supposed equivalent of the Upper Arisaig group at Nictaux.

6. Platyostoma,-A species allied to P. Niagarensis of Hall. 7. Bellerophon,-Diameter, inch, carina prominent and broad, outer and umbilical slope of whorls steep and straightish, so as to give a somewhat rhomboidal cross section, surface with strong sharply waved transverse striæ, crossed by finer longitudinal striæ, cast of interior nearly smooth, with traces of transverse striæ. This shell much resembles Hall's B. stigmosa from the Clinton.

8. Bellerophon.-Two imperfect casts representing forms similar to B. expansus and dilatatus.

9. Zaphrenitis,-A cast not sufficiently perfect for specific determination, but not unlike imperfect specimens from the Devonian of Nictaux. This specimen is from Lochaber Lake.]

ARTICLE XLII.-Note on a specimen of Menobranchus lateralis, taken at London, C. W. By W. SAUNDERS, Esq.

Total length 4 inches; body 3 inches; tail 1 inches. Dull olive on the upper surface, the under of a dull, pinkish colour. A dark (not well defined) stripe, mottled olive and black, running from the head (where it is wide) to the tail, where it tapers off to a point. Broad stripes of the same character from the mouth along each side to the tail. The legs are very short, not quite half an inch long. On each foot there are four toes The legs are olive with black spots, but the tips of the toes are of a light colour. The eyes are very small and not readily seen. The head is flat and almost triangular on its upper surface. The branchial plumes are six, three on each side, about an eighth of an inch long, and of a bright red colour which can only be seen when they are extended in the act of breathing.

The animal was found in the river Thames, close to this city between two and three months since, in a half torpid state, under a large stone. It was immediately transferred to my aquari um

where it has since been constantly under my eye. When first placed there, it at all times sought places of concealment, where it would remain for days without being seen, unless when forced, for a time from its hiding place. But several times at night when a light has been suddenly thrown upon the aquarium, I have observed it swimming about very actively. Within the last month its habits have somewhat changed. Up to that time I had never seen it eat anything. One day, however, while feeding the fish with some water insects, one came very near his mouth. The wave-like motion produced by the numerous legs of the insect attracted the attention of the Proteus. A newt standing very near, was also attracted by the movements of the . insect. The sight was now truly interesting, both animals were just ready to seize upon the prey. The newt being the more active made the first movement and caught it by the tail, just at the moment when the Proteus was ready to seize it by the head. The Menobranchus not observing that the insect was already captured, opened its capacious mouth, and in attempting to seize it took the head of the newt as well as the little creature, into it. There they stood in mute astonishment. The Proteus evidently thought his eyes had much deceived him with regard to the size of the object of his attack, for he found his ample mouth well filled by the head of his companion. After the lapse of about half a minute, the newt showed symptoms of uneasiness, and began to wriggle about, when the Proteus let loose his hold, allowing the newt to escape unhurt, still holding the insect firmly in its mouth. This I concluded was his first attempt at feeding by day and rather a clumsy attempt it appeared to me to be. I immediately gave him a chance at another insect at the same time keeping his companions at a distance, which he succeeded in capturing. Since that time he has repeatedly eaten pieces of worms and young tadpoles, and although he grows more expert, his movements by day are still slow and awkward. Of late he seems to be gradually growing out of his retired habits, and although he sometimes now hides himself from view, still he may be frequently seen perambulating slowly up and down the bottom of the aquarium, as if in search of food. Before this change took place it was a rare thing to see him come to the surface for air, but now he rises many times a day.

About a month or six weeks since, I caught another animal of the same class, but of a different species or variety. I caught it while dredging a small muddy pond, (left by the subsidence of

the river) for the larvae of dragonflies, and at the time I supposed it to be a newt. This animal was not more than an inch and a half, or two inches long, with the stripes on the body well defined, and of a purple or dark red colour. The branchial plumes, legs, and other parts of the body were proportioned, in about. the same manner as in that last described, but it was a very much prettier animal. Unfortunately it died, and was partly eaten (I suppose by the cray fish) when I discovered it, otherwise I would have preserved it. I have made repeated attempts to procure another specimen but without success.

ARTICLE XLIII.—On some new species of Fossils from the Limestone near Point Levi opposite Quebec. By E. BILLINGS.

On examining the specimens recently collected at this locality I find some evidence of several groups of species, each occurring in a rock somewhat different in appearance from that which contains the others. It does not seem improbable, judging from the fact that all the three varieties of limestone occur in close proximity to each other, that these species may yet be found more or less intermingled in the same beds, but for the present it is best to keep them separate. I shall designate the rocks simply as limestones Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4. The genera collected in each are as follows.

No. 1. Lingula, 2 species. cephalites, 1. Arionellus, 4. 4. Total 21.

Cono

Discina, 1. Agnostus, 3.
Dikelocephalus, 6. Bathyurus,

Orthis, 2.

Stropho

No. 2. Dictyonema, 1. Lingula, 1. Orthis, 2. mena, 1. Camerella, 1. Cyrtodonta, 1. Murchisonia, 3. Pleurotomaria, 7. Helicotoma, 2. Straparollus, 2. Patella, 2. Ecculiomphalus, 2. Orthoceras, 5. Cyrtoceras, 4. Agnostus, 1. Bathyurus, 4. Cheirurus, 2. Total 41.

No. 3. Asaphus, 2.

No. 4. In a fourth mass of limestone imbedded in the cliff, near the ferry, a coral which resembles a Tetradium with very fine tubes and an Orthis of the type of O perveta were found.

One of the species of Lingula and apparently Agnostus Orion, are common to Nos. 1 and 2.

The following list gives the total number of species discovered in the several limestones above designated at this locality up to the present date.

The formation of slate and shale in which these limestones are imbedded, contains as I am informed, about thirty species of graptolites and other allied fossils; and besides these, two species of Lingula, an Orthis, a Discina, and a minute trilobite which will probably constitute a new genus.

The slates and limestones, according to the above, hold about 100 species, and it is more than probable that this number will be much increased by future discoveries.

In this paper I shall notice only the trilobites found in the lime

stones.

The other fossils appear to be nearly all new species and must remain over for another paper.

All the specimens described in this article were found in the conglomerate limestones near Point Levi opposite Quebec, and to save space I shall not repeat the locality after each description. It is not yet decided whether the fossils occur in the boulders of the conglomerate or in matrix.

AGNOSTUS AMERICANUS. N. s.

Fig. 1.-a. b.

Description.-Head oblong semi-oval, rather strongly convex, most elevated at the posterior one-fourth of the length, thence descending with a depressed convex slope in all directions to the sides and front; margin with a very narrow projecting border. The glabella is elongate. oval; width, one-third that of the whole head; length, rather more than two-thirds the length of the head. It has two transverse furrows which completely or partially divide it into three segments. The anterior furrow extends all across at

one-third, or a little more, of the length from the front. The posterior furrow is interrupted in the middle and is only distinctly seen on each side, penetrating one-third the width, while its position is a little in advance of the posterior third of the length of the glabella. The space between the two inner extremities of the posterior furrows is occupied by a low conical tubercle, with the apex directed backwards. At each side of the glabella at the posterior extremity there is a small triangular lobe. The glabella is defined all round by a very narrow groove, just distinctly visi'ble to the naked eye, and from the apex a similar groove runs straight to the middle of the front margin. The surface is ornamented by from fifteen to twenty irregular, slightly impressed, radiating rugose striæ.

+

十四

เ

Fig. 1.

magnified.

Fig. 1.-Agnostus Americanus; a, the tail; b, the head? Both a little

Fig. 2.-Agrostus Orion. Natural size.

Fig. 3.-Agnostus Canadensis; a, the tail; b, the head?

nified.

Both mag-.

NOTE.-All the figures in this article are of the natural size, unless otherwise specified.

In the pygidium the posterior segment of the median lobe is equal to the two anterior in size; and there are no triangular lobes at the anterior margin. The tubercle is well developed, and its backward sloping apex reaches nearly to the posterior furrow. It seems to divide the two anterior segments so that each has a sub-quadrate lobe on each side. The surface is striated like the head. Two heads and one tail have been found.

Length of the tail three lines and one-fourth; of the largest head, three lines, and of the other two lines and three-fourths. The width is about equal to, or a little less than the length.

The contour appears to be not a regular semi-oval; the sides and terminal margins being only gently convex, and the angles broadly rounded.