Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 May 2009
The Lower Silurian Rocks of the South of Scotland, below the level of the Wrae Limestone of Peeblesshire, though of great thickness, and little altered by igneous agency, have as yet yielded but few of the higher forms of animal life. Two species of a phyllopod crustacean, (Peltocaris aptychoides and P. Harknessi, Salter), were discovered by Prof. Harkness, along with the first Brachiopod found in these deposits, the Siphonotreta micula of McCoy. Another crustacean of an allied genus, described by Mr. Henry Woodward, and named by him Discinocaris Browniana, was discovered last year in the neighbourhood of Moffat, by Mr. D. J. Brown. Besides the above, there occur traces of the action of marine worms, and I have, in addition, found one, possibly two, species of Lingula, a thin-walled Orthoceras, or Pteropod, and some curious spine-like bodies, probably referable to crustaceans. With the exception of these scanty remains, the strata under consideration have yielded no fossils higher in the scale of existence than Graptolites. In no other British deposit do we, however, find a greater profusion of these beautiful and characteristic fossils, or a greater number of specific types. It is the object of this communication to describe certain new forms of Graptolites which have come under my notice, together with one remarkable genus, apparently allied to the Graptolitidœ, though probably representing a different order.
page 108 note 1 See Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. Vol. xix., p. 87.Google Scholar
page 108 note 2 Op. cit., Vol.xxii., p. 503,Google Scholar
page 112 note 11 The first notice of these embryonic forms, as occuring in Britain, came, I believe, from Mr. W. Carruthers, who described and figured a small germ, which he considered to be referable to his Diplograpsus tricornis. (See Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Vol.iii. No. 13., p. 25).Google Scholar