On the Fossil Foraminifera of Malta and Gozo

Abstract

In a former volume of the ‘Geologist’ there are notices of the geology of Malta and Gozo (vol. for 1860, pp. 198, 275, 421), from which it appears that the stratal groups forming these islands are, in downward succession,— 1.Upper Limestone ; fossiliferous.2.Soft sandy rock, consisting of yellow, green, and black sand in variable proportions, and containing many shells and echinoderms, chiefly as casts, and sharks’ teeth.3.Bluish marl, with sharks’ teeth and other fossils, especially Pecten Burdigalensis.4.Light-yellow calcareous freestone ; the common building-stone of the islands, rich with echinoderms, and containing also nautilus, fish-remains, and other fossils: this comprises also a band of chocolate- coloured pebbles, with sharks’ teeth.5.Lower Limestone, white and hard; with Scutella subrotunda, fish-teeth, and a few other fossils.These strata have been described by Captain Spratt, in the Geol. Soc. Proc, vol. iv. p. 225, etc., and their fossils determined and enumerated by Professor E. Forbes, ib., p. 230, etc. Dr. Wright also gave a notice of the beds, and descriptions of several of their fossils, in a paper published by the Cotteswold Nat. Field-club, and in the Annals Nat. Hist., 2nd ser., vol. xv.; lastly, Dr. A. L. Adams and Dr. Wright communicated a paper on the Maltese Strata and Echinoderms to the Geological Society, in 1863.Having lately received, from Captain F.W. Hutton and Dr. A.Leith Adams, some fine specimens of foramiuifera from the Maltese beds, carefully labelled as to their respective strata, as well as some notes on the strata from the same friends, I am enabled to add something as to the distribution of the foraminifera.Stratum No. 1, which, being largely composed of corallines (Nulliporae, E. Forbes's List, loc. cit.), and destitute of corals, seems to have no title to its old name of “Coral-limestone,” contains Heterostegina depressa, according to Dr. Adams and Captain Hutton; the latter informs me that this limestone is sometimes 230 feet thick, Pecten Pandora being one of its most abundant fossils.