17 



ception, I should say, of the insect limestone, No. lOG, in which I 

 have found only a single scale and which was of an unusual form. I 

 wish to call especial attention to this portion of the organic remains of 

 the Isle of Purheck, as I conceive that not only are there a vast many 

 more species of fish in these heds than is generally supposed, but that 

 different species are strictly characteristic of different divisions of strata, 

 Commencing with the uppermost beds, from the large blocks of marble, 

 which are usually lying about the quarry at Woody Hyde, I have 

 obtained specimens of a large, thick, angular scale, teeth of a species of 

 shark, and also others which are striated. Both these teeth occur abun- 

 dantly, especially the former, with other varieties, in many of the beds 

 above the Cinder. Reference to the list of those in Durdlestone Bay 

 will direct the collector to some of those from which they may be 

 obtained. The Downs Vein (H. 69 & 70) is the richest of any in fossil 

 fish. I have obtained from it the following : — 



Lepidotus minor. 



Microdon radiatus. 



A species with the scales sinuated. 



A species with small serrated scales. 



Scattered scales serrated of a much larger and also a medium size, and two other 

 varieties, one of which is toothed. 



Three species of a small fish measuring about three inches in length, from a thin 

 shale which is attached to the Sad bed These are in my own collection. 



Series of vertebrae of at least four species from the Freestone Quarry (H. 60 — 62.) 



A species with striated scales, and two others. These have been obtained abun- 

 dantly from a quarry in which I believe as many as seven and nine have occurred on a 

 single slab ; but they are apparently confined to one vein, and which is local. I have 

 never met with any traces of either of these in the Freestone at Langton. 



A single specimen, (the only one I have seen), having the dorsal rays continued 

 to the tail, as in the recent sea bream in my own collection. 



Two other species in my own collection. 



A species of pike, and another in the collection of Mr Wilcox. 



Mr W. Brodie obtained a small fish, without scales, of a new species 

 from a thin band of indurated marl, attached beneath bed 03, and also 

 another from the bottom of the Insect bed. No. 106. The scales of 

 this fish resembled long plaits reaching from the back down the side. 

 Each of these fish was about two inches long. The Feather Quarry (J.) 

 affords the Lepidotus Major, and Mr. "Wilcox has obtained one fish only 

 from the New Vein, and there are four species of dorsal spines. These 

 occur in the beds classed under letter H. One, however, of the species 

 which is straight, smooth, and sharp pointed, I have obtained from 

 the New Vein. 



There is a bed which must be among those classed under letter K, but 

 of which I have met with only"a piece which was lying upon the beach, 

 perfectly full of fish shales and the Unio shell. This list contains at 

 least four-and-twenty species of fossil fish. I have little doubt that it 

 might be considerably increased. 



Turtles. — The scattered remains of turtles are abundant throughout the 

 beds classed under the letter H ; and single plates, in a good state of 

 preservation may frequently be purchased of the quarriers. But the 

 whole carapace is only occasionally met with. Several very splendid 

 specimens, however, have been obtained by Mr. Wilcox. As many as 

 three or four species have come under my notice, namely one from the 

 Downs Vein, oie or more from the Freestone, and another from the 

 Feather Quarry. 



