Systematic List of the Frederick E. Edwards Collection of British Oligocene and Eocene Mollusca in the British Museum (Natural H
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V pre:se:nte:i> d)c ^riic.tcco rHE BRITISH MUSEUM SYSTEMATIC LIST OF THE FEEDEEICK E. EDWAEDS COLLECTION OP BRITISH OLIGOCENE AND EOCENE MOLLUSCA Ijr THE BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY), WITH REFERENCES TO TUB TYPE-SPECIMEXS FROM SIMILAR HORIZONS CONTAINED IN OTHER COLLECTIONS BELONGING TO THE GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE MUSEUM. RICHARD BULLEN NEWTON, F.G.S. LONDON: PEINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRlSTEES. SOLD HY LONGMANS & Co., 39 PATEENOSTEE ROW; B. QUAKITCH, 15 VICCADIILY; DULAU & Co., 37 SOHO SQUAEE. W. K.EOAN PAUL, TEENOII, TBUBNER, & Co., hi LUDGATE HILL; AND AT THE BRITISH MU3EU.M (NATURAL HISTO EY), C ROM WELL ROAD, S.W. 1891. rniNTED I)Y TAYLOU AND FRANCIS, ItED LION COl'UT, FLKET STREET. PREFACE. There is probably no Collection which has been more enquired after, or more carefully studied, both by English and Foreign Malaeologists, than the Eocene MoUnscan Collection of the late F. E. Edwards. This gentleman formed one of a little band of early Metropolitan geologists, who associated together in 1838 for the purpose of collecting, describing, and illustrating the Eocene Mollusca. They named their " Society the London Clay Club," and the members were Dr. J. S. Bower- bank, F.11.S., Searles V. Wood, F.G.S., Prof. John Morris, F.G.S., Alfred White, r.L.S., Nathaniel T. Wetherell, F.G.S., James de Carle Sowerby, F.L.S., and Frederick E. Edwards, F.G.S. Originally intended to illus- trate the fossils of the London Clay, Mr. Edwards extended his researches over the Eocene strata of Sussex, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight, where, assisted by Mr. Henry Keeping, he made the most complete collection ever attempted by any geologist in a single series of deposits. This Collection was acquired by purchase, for the British Museum, in 1872-73. The value of the accompanying list is still further enhanced by the " addition to it of the types from the "Dixon," "Wetherell," Bowerbank,'' " Sowerby," and other Collections, so that it contains not only many new and undescribcd forms, but also all the types hitherto described as far as it has been possible to determine them. Formerly it was deemed that a species of Mollusk from the London Basin should bear a distinct specific name from that of a like shell found in the Paris Basin. Now happily broader views prevail, and the Mala- cologist who would succeed must now compare his own specimens also with iv PEEPACE. thus a basis those from the same horizon in other countries ; and common of nomenclature is being widely established, to the great benefit of science and the advance in true knowledge of the geographical distribution of species. The simultaneous revision of the Paris Basin Mollusca, which is being carried out by Messrs. G. F. Harris, F.G.S., and II. W. Burrows, has enabled Mr. Newton to compare notes with those gentlemen, and so give greater certainty to his determinations. It is extremely desirable that the new and as yet undcscribed species which have lain perdu for so many years in the Edwards Collection so as to should be as speedily as possible fully described and figured, give to his MS. names a real significance. HENHY WOODWARD. Geological Department, British Museum (Natural History), July 25th, 1891. INTEODUCTIOK The special Collection which is made the suhjeet of this compilation consists of over 39,000 shells obtained from the Oligoccnc and Eocene strata of the more important localities situated in the London and Hamp- shire Basins. The class Lamellibranchiata comprises 11,516 specimens, represented by 648 species and varic'ties, of which 428 arc described, the remainder, 220, being undcscribed or bearing manuscript names only. The Gas- teropoda contain 27,421 specimens, consisting of 1151 species and varieties, of which 786 aie described and 365 undcscribed. Lastly, the Cephalopoda number 254 specimens, containing 15 described species. These items yield a total number of specimens of 39,191, representing 1229 described and 585 undcscribed (or manuscript) names. It is the author's intention to describe and figure in due course all those specimens but as a it bearing manuscript names ; preliminary measure was deemed advisable to retain them in this work, as so many have found their way into in collections and published lists, especially foreign ; although they can take no rank at present in the recognized specific nomenclature of Conchology, they arc of considerable interest in the study of the facts connected with generic distribution. The classification of the genera and families has been mainly drawn up from that proposed by the late Dr. Ferd. Stoliczka in his monogra])h8 on " " the Pelecypoda and "Gastropoda," both published in the Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India (vide Bibliograph}'), with such additions and emendations as have been subsequently made by Dr. Paul Fischer and other eminent systcmatists. The merits of Stoliczka's work on the MoUusca are freijuently overlooked by conchologists, chiefly because of his reputation as a palaeontologist, though the elaborate memoirs quoted above display the accuracy and profoundness of his knowledge when dealing with either the recent or the fossil aspect of the subject. The plan adopted in the preparation of this work has been to give the VI INTRODUCTION. first mention or origin of every generic and specifie name, the latter being arranged alphabetically under each genus. The synonymy adopted is by no moans exhaustive, just sufficient being given to introduce all English references which are necessary to quote in explanation of the history of either a generic or specific name. When the actvial types or figured specimens arc present in this Collection they are indicated at the end of each reference thus : (F. E. Edwards Coll.). To render this part of the work more complete, references to the types and figured specimens in the other Collections preserved in the Department are also inserted in a similar way—as, for instance, when they " " " belong to the Sowerby," Dixon," Wetherell," &c.. Collections. The usefulness of this is manifest, as by this means we furnish a clue to the whole of the type or figured specimens from the British Lower Tertiary horizons in the Geological Department of the Museum. The different Collections referred to in this manner are as follows : — Bowerbanlc Collection.—Purchased from the late Dr. J. S. Bowerbank, F.R.S., of Highbury, London, 1805. Brander Collection,—Formed by Gustavus Brander, F.R.S., in the early part of the last century. The specimens in this collection are figured and ' described by Dr. Solander in the Fossilia Hantoniensia collecta, et in Museo Britannico deposita,' published in 1766. Brown Collection.—^A small series of Lower Eocene MoUusca from Grove Ferry, near Canterbury, presented by the late Mr. John Brown, F.G.S., of Stanway, Essex, about 1859. Dixon Collection.—An important series of specimens collected by the late Mr. Frederick Dixon, of Worthing, a large number of which are figured in his work ' The Geology and Fossils of the Tertiary and Creta- ceous Formations of Sussex,' 1850. Purchased from the Executors, 1851. Edwards Collection.—Purchased from the late Mr. Frederick Erasmus Edwards, F.G.S., in 1872-73. Gardner Collection.—Purchased from Mr. J. S. Gardner, F.G.S., in 1884. Mantell Collection.—Purchased from the late Dr. Gideon A. Mantell, 1838. Frestwich Collection.—Chiefly interesting from the fact that the speci- mens are illustrative of many Lower Eocene localities described by Prof. ' Prestwich in memoirs published in the Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc.' some forty years ago. Presented by Prof. Joseph Prestwich, D.C.L., F.E.S., 1885. Shrubsole Collection.—Presented by W. H. Shrubsole, Esq., F.G.S., of Sheerness, in 1882. Smith Collection.—Historically interesting as being the first collection of British fossils formed on a strictly stratigraphical basis, thus demon- INTRODUCIIOir. Vll strating the value of fossil evidence in the identification of strata. It contains ' specimens figured in Strata identified by Organized Fossils,' bj- Dr. William Smith. Purchased in 1816. Sowerhy C'ullection.—Formed by the late Messrs. James and J. de Carlo ' Sowerby, joint authors of the Mineral Conchology,' in which the speci- mens are figured and described. Purchased from Mr. J. de Carle Sowerby, 1861. Wetherell Collection.—Obtained chiefly from the London Clay of High- gate and surrounding localities, and purchased through Mr. J. Tennant from the late Mr. Nathaniel T. WothereU, F.G.S., in 1871. Wise Collection.—Consists of a few shells collected in the Middle ' Eocene of Hampshire, and figured in Wiso's New Forest.' Presented by J. E. Wise, Esq., 1876. Four " of these Collections are kept separate as Type Collections," viz., the lirander, Sowerby, Wm. Smith, and F. E. Edwards, the remainder being incorporated and arranged in the cases containing the general series of British Lower Tertiary MoUusca. It is necessary to state that no sections or subgenera have been intro- duced into this work; where characters have been deemed of sufficient importance to merit their recognition, they have been treated as genera. It is thought that this rendering of the subject will greatly tend to simplify and to divest it of its otherwise complicated divisions. Following on the synonymy of each species are given the different horizons which have yielded them. The terms employed for these are those adopted in the maps and memoirs of the English Geological Survey, chief among which may be mentioned Mr. W. Whitaker's ' Geology of ' London,' 1889, and the late Mr. H. W. Bristow's Geology of the Isle of Wight,' 2nd edition, edited by Messrs. C. Eeid and A. Stralian, published in the same year, both of which works contain the latest digest on the geological conditions of the London and Hampshire areas.