A new genus of harpid trilobite, DOLICHOHARPES (genotype Eoharpes uniserialis Raymond, from the Kimmswick Limestone of Missouri), is diagnosed and the type redescr. Silicified specimens of D. reticulata n.sp. from the Edinburg Limestone of Virginia show the morph. of the cephalon in detail. The pits in the bilaminar fringe have flattened bases, but there is no evidence of an opening in the base, and the fringe was therefore apparently not perforate. The glabella and cheek lobes are ornamented by a prominent network of raised ridges surrounding depressions with flat bases, and this ornament merges into the upper lamella of the fringe. In 1921, Richter suggested that the harpid fringe may have originated from funnel-shaped depressions originally present on the cephalic margin and the doublure. The depressions would be opposed to each other, and by deepening towards each other until the bases came into contact would develop into the characteristic pitted bilaminer fringe. The reticulate ornament of Dolichoharpes, if originally present on both the doublure and the dorsal surface, would form an ideal starting point for such a development. The structure of the cephalon strongly suggests that this was the case, and thus affords remarkable support of Richter''s hypothesis.