Scaphites (boat-like). [Lign. 162].—This name was given by Mr. Parkinson (Org. Rem. vol. iii. pl. x. See Pict. Atlas) to some small chambered shells from the Chalk and Shanklin Sand, of a boat-like form, with the inner whorls coiled up in a spire, and half hidden by the outer chamber, which becomes contracted and recurved on itself, is destitute of septa, and terminates in an oval or transverse mouth. The siphuncle is dorsal. An Ancyloceras closely coiled would be a Scaphite. Hamsey marl-pit yielded to my early researches the first Scaphites discovered in the British strata, together with Turrilites, and other cephalopodous shells, previously unknown in England.[422] The Scaphite is of an elliptical form, the spire and the mouth approaching close to each other; the spire occupies about one-half of the shell. Except the thick outer lip or margin of the aperture, which is almost constantly found changed into pyrites, it is rarely that any vestige of the shell remains. The same mineral constitutes casts of the spiral part; and these, when separated from the other portion, might be taken for Ammonites; see fig. 2. There are two varieties at Hamsey; one, with the surface covered by fine transverse striæ, which arise singly from the inner margins, and bifurcate on the dorsal part; fig. 1. The other is also striated, but has a row of prominent ribs on the inner half of the broad central portion of the shell; fig. 4. Scaphites occur in the Upper Green Sand of Dorsetshire, and in the Chalk-marl in several places in England; and at Rouen, in France; and a large species, S. Cuvieri, has been found in New Jersey.

[422] Sow. Min. Conch, vol, i. p. 53.

Lign. 162. Scaphites. Chalk-marl. Hamsey.

Fig.1 and 4.—Scaphites æqualis. (Parkinson.)
2.—Cast in pyrites of the spiral part of a Scaphite.
2a.—Front view of the same specimen.
3.—Front view of Scaphites æqualis.

Lign. 163. Turrilites. Chalk-marl.

Fig.1.—Turrilites catenatus. (M. D’Orbigny.) France.
a.—One of the septa.
2.—Turrilites costatus. Hamsey.