Among the specimens referable to Hoplites deshayesi, two are
fragments showing an advanced stage of growth comparable with
that illustrated by Neumayr and TJhlig in a large specimen from
the Aptian of North Germany 2 . The chief difference observed
is that in the Dover examples, the primary ribs at the umbilical
rim are rather more widely spaced. The allied Hoplites weissi
Neum. and Uhl. has a similar type of ribbing, but it is dis-
tinguished by still narrower spacing of the costa?. In recent
years there has been a great tendency to restrict the application
of the name Hoplites to closer and closer limits, and the work
of Uhlig, Baumberger and others has shown the necessity of
introducing a number of new generic names for many Lower
Cretaceous species which were formerly referred to Hoplites. As

1 A. von Koenen. ' Die Ammonitiden des norddeutschen Neocom,' Abhandl.
der h. preuss. geol. Landesanst., Neue Folge, Heft 24, 1902, pi. xli., fig. 1.
* M. Neumayr and V. TJhlig. ' TJeber Ammonitiden aus den Hilsbildungen
Norddeutschlands,' Palmontograpbica, Band xxvii., 1881, pi. xlv.
ATHEBFIELD CLAT FOSSILS : DOVER.
10^



evidence regarding the minuter relationships of these ammonites
is being accumulated, a more natural and rational classification
is gradually taking shape. Uhlig has expressed the view that the
geologically important group of H. deshayesi and H. weissi,
which he believes do not occupy a place in the direct line as
forerunners of the true, richly ornamented Hoplites (sensu
stricto) of the Gault, ought to be assigned to a new genus 1.
