and text of Stomatopora dilatans (Brit. Mar. Polyzoa, p. 420, pl. lvii., figs. 3, 3a), in which the position of the " egg cell" is a very characteristic feature of the species.

The British Jurassic species of Proboscina heretofore described are few in number. Up till 1852 only four Jurassic forms were referred to the genus by d'Orbigny. Jules Haime, in his Monograph of the Jurassic Fossil Bryozoa, only records five species as legitimate members of the group; the four species of d'Orbigny are placed in the doubtful list, but only one of the species described by Haime is placed on the British list.

1. Proboscina Davidsoni Haime (op. cit., p. 167, pl. vi., fig. 11, a, b).

Mr. E. A. Walford, in his valuable paper "On some Bryozoa from the Inferior Oolite, &c., of Dorset," (Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc., Aug., 1889) adds considerably to our knowledge of British forms, both specific and varietal.

2. Proboscina spatiosa, Walford (op. cit., p. 566, pl. xvii., figs. 1-3.) var. brevis, Walford (op. cit., p. 567, pl. xviii.,

3.

4.

5.

inconstans, Walford (op. cit., p. 567, pl. xvii., figs. 4-6.) The following Cornbrash species must now be added to this meagre Jurassic list ::

1. Proboscina obscura, sp. n., pl. (XIII.), figs. 7-7b.

Zoarium zigzag or serpuliform, wholly adherent by the base, but slightly raised in the middle portion. Zoccia stunted, or partially obscured in certain portions of the zoarium, or developed, Idmonea like, on other portions; irregularly disposed and occasionally elongated; surface transversely banded or punctured, aperture circular, placed at the extremity of the cell; peristome thin. Occium? Lepralia like, slightly distended in the central portion, and punctured in transverse lines across the surface.

Horizon: Cornbrash, Thrapston.

The example is unique, and it differs in many respects from all the other species met with in my Cornbrash material; but more especially in the Lepralia-like form of the Oæcium.

2. Proboscina divisa, sp. n. Pl. (XIII.), figs. 8, 8a.

Zoarium fenestrate, much branched, narrow; branches anastomosing at frequent intervals. Zoacia elongated, or stunted, generally from two to three, on the surface of the branches; but occasionally the cells are irregularly clustered together in places where the branches divide, and form a fenestrule.

Locality and Habitat: Cornbrash, Thrapston.

The examples of this species are by no means abundant, and though I have frequently met with fenestrated Proboscina in other horizons of the Jurassic rocks, forms similar in any sense to the one described above are extremely rare, even in the Cornbrash rocks of Thrapston.

3.

Proboscine clementina, Vine. (Proc, Yorksh. Geol. Soc., vol. xii., p. 154, pl. vi., fig. 2.)

var. minuta, var. n., Pl. (XIII.), 9, 9a, 9h.

Zoarium, fan-shaped, or flabellate, delicate, originating from an egg-cell." Zoacia, contiguous, adherent by their bases only, the upper parts of the cells slightly elevated and rounded; partially free towards the orifices, the peristomes turned upwards; surfaces of Zoœcia striated transversely. The basal part of the cells occasionally distended, or pointed, just above the aperture, (Pl. (XIII.), fig. 9b.)

Horizon and Locality. Cornbrash, Thrapston, Northampton.

Except in the size of the colony, these two Cornbrash Proboscinc closely resemble the Gault forms already described by me in a former paper (Proc. Yorksh. Geol, Soc., vol. xi., pl. ii., p. 154). The distinguishing feature in the Zoœcia of the Jurassic forms, however, merits recognition and description.

The beautiful and delicate variety described above (P.clementina, var, minuta), is the form more generally met with encrusting Cornbrash Fossils; but there are several other varieties which would merit distinction if a more critical diagnosis were adopted. One peculiar example, however, in my possession, has the Zoccia rather more robust and depressed than in the var. minuta (No. 3, ante.). This may be the result of habitat only, but even this difference may recognised advantageously.

be

Locality and Habitat: on Echinoderm.

5. Proboscina ornata, sp. n., pl. (XIII.), figs. 10, 10a, 10b.

Zoarium flabellate, or very irregularly disposed; some portions of the Zoarium apparently thickened by a secondary growth of cells. Zoacia contiguous, rather larger than the ordinary cells of the Proboscina species previously described; cells thickly and minutely punctate, aperture circular. Occia very conspicuous and frequent, generally having a globular outline. In some portions of the Zoarium there are occasional cells, which differ considerably from the ordinary ones; these are short or stunted, very broad across the central portion, but with apertures similar to the regular cells; surface (smooth when worn), but normally the cells are finely punctate.

Locality and Horizon: Cornbrash, Thrapstone; generally on the shells of Echini.

This beautiful species is not altogether rare, but examples showing the peculiar Oæcia are not abundant. The example selected for diagnosis have at least four, and associated with these are several of the modified oœciel cells referred to in the text. The colonial growths of the Zoaria are similar in some respects to the Zoaria of the next species which I shall describe, but the Zoœcia are more depressed, and when superficially examined by a hand-glass somewhat pellucid. On account of this peculiarity I referred to the forms in my original MS. notes as Probiscina pellucida, when returning the greater bulk of the fossils to Mr. Jesson.

6. Proboscina Thrapstonensis, sp. n. Pl. (XII.), figs. 6-6d.

Zoarium flabelliform, fan-shape, lobulate or irregular, forming large and small patches, or colonial growths, and wholly adherent to a variety of fossils: Ostrea, Terebratula species, and Echinoderms especially. Zoacia depressed, contiguous by their whole length, and nearly of equal breadth throughout surface of the cells flat, occasionally slightly rounded in the upper portions, especially in the newer cells, on the margins of the zoariums; aperture circular, with a thin peristome placed at the extremity, depressed, or very slightly raised upwards just below the orifice. In the younger cells the surface is densely punctate; in the older cells this feature is obscured by a thin coating of calcareous matter.-Ovicells?

This is by far the most abundant species of all the Cornbrash

Polyzoa.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES A AND B.

PLATE XII.

Figs. 1-1a. Stomatopora Phillipsi, Vine. The largest colony found.

RECORD OF A REMARKABLE SHOOTING STAR, APRIL 2ND, 1892. BY R. REYNOLDS, F.I. C.

On the evening of April 2, 1892, at 7.30, when passing through my garden at Cliff Road, Leeds, my attention was arrested by a meteor of extraordinary size and brilliancy. I made a note of the particulars, and forwarded them, with some monthly returns of meteorology to the Editors of "The Natural History Journal," York.

The direction of the meteor was from N.E. to N. Its elevation appeared to be from 60° to 30°, the angle of its fall being 45°. The impression left upon my mind was that the colour was pale green, and the form pear-shaped, the last view of its extremity giving a brilliant red colour. I estimated its duration at from two to three seconds.

The Editors of the " Natural History Journal" received independent reports of the same meteor from Mr. T. W. Backhouse, F.R.A.S., Sunderland, and Miss H. S. Lean, Wigton; and placed the whole of the evidence in the hands of Mr David Booth, of Leeds, who has published in their issue of November 15 the following report, which the Editors kindly permit me to reproduce. The distance between the stations of observation seems to confer a special interest on the

case.

"A spectacle of a somewhat extraordinary character presented itself to many individuals residing in various parts of the North of England, at 7h. 29m. G. M. T., on April 2nd of the present year. A shooting star of unusual dimensions, and great brilliancy, was observed to travel across a portion of the heavens, whilst the twilight was yet sufficiently strong to overpower the light of all except the brightest stars. The meteor had a long train of light following, and in close proximity to the head, the whole moving rather slowly downwards to its fall towards the earth.

From the observations which have been collected and discussed for the purpose of computation, T. W. Backhouse, F.R.A.S., Sunderland, and H. S. Lean, Wigton, "May N. H. J." appear to have been

C