On Tertiary Cyclostomatous Bryozoa from New Zealand

Abstract

The Chilostomata have already been described in this volume of the Journal, p. 40, and therefore it is not necessary to repeat particulars about the localities. This part I have kept back, hoping that the results of the ‘ Challenger’ Expedition might throw some light upon this unsatisfactory suborder; but Mr. Busk's second part of the Report is a great disappointment in this respect, as only thirty-three species are recorded, and these are for the most part well known and common. In fact, the results of this great expedition do not seem, so far as the Cyclostomata are concerned, to exceed what I presume a specialist might, after a storm, collect in a few morning walks in the neighbourhood of the Sydney Harbour. We do not seem to make much progress with the discouraging Cyclostomata, or to obtain fresh characters upon which classifications can be based, and in fact there are a few New-Zealand fossils concerning which I cannot pronounce a definite opinion as to whether they really belong to the Bryozoa or not. However, although not satisfied with our means of classification, any fossils which can be readily recognized should be described, as, besides being useful stratigraphically, fuller acquaintance may gradually set us in the right lines. I would propose that we should divide the Cyclostomata into two subdivisions, namely, first, the Parallelata , or those in which the surface of the zoarium is to a considerable extent formed of the lateral walls of the zoceeia, of which Crisia , Entalophora , Diastopora