86 FOSSIL FISHES. 



The Scombridcc — or Mackerel family* — occur fossil in various 

 Tertiary deposits. Two extinct genera, Palimphyes and Isurus, have 

 been found in the Eocene slates of the Canton Glaris, and Scomber, 

 Thynnus, and Cyuium, are not uncommon in the Eocene and Miocene 

 formations. 



The Trachinidcs—{ il Stare-gazer," " Weever," &c.). To this 

 family belongs the genus Callipteryx, from the Eocene Tertiary of 

 Monte Bolca; it is a scaleless form of fish. 



Tracliinopsis has recently been described from the Tertiary beds 

 of Lorca in Spain, and Pseudoeleginus, from the Miocene of Licata, 

 in Sicily. 



The Cottidcs—{ u Bull-heads," " Gurnards," &c.)— represented 

 by the genus Coitus, or the " Miller's Thumb," occur fossil in the 

 Miocene freshwater deposits of Giningen. The family also occurs 

 at Aix in Provence. 



The Blenniidce — " Blennies " — are scarcely known in the fossil 

 state, but Pteryyoceplialus, from the Eocene of Monte Bolca, appears 

 to have been a Blennoid. 



The Sphyrcenidce are a family of large fishes of voracious habits 

 (called " Barracudas ") met with along the coast of the West 

 Indies and in other tropical seas. They are covered with small 

 cycloid scales, the mouth is wide, and armed w : ith strong teeth. 

 The " Barracuda " attains a length often of eight feet. 



The family is known in a fossil state by the genera Hypsodon, 

 from the Chalk of Sussex, Saurocephalus, from the Upper Creta- 

 ceous of Maestricht, Sphyrceuodus and Hypsodon, from the London 

 Clay of Sheppey and from the Eocene of Monte Bolca near 

 Verona. 



The Saurodontidce, a family nearly allied to the preceding one, 

 was established by Prof. Cope for the reception of a group of 

 predaceous fishes from the Cretaceous formation of 1ST. America ; 

 many of them are of large size and have most of the teeth implanted 

 in distinct sockets (alveoli) ; it comprises the genera JPortheus, 

 Ichthyodectes, and Daptinus. Species of these genera also occur 

 in British Cretaceous deposits. 



JErisichthe is an allied genus, but is now referred by Cope to a 

 distinct family (the Erisichthidce). JErisichthe is remarkable for 

 having the ethmoid bone prolonged beyond the maxillae- and con- 

 solidated into a cylindrical rostrum, forming a formidable weapon of 

 offence. 



The anterior teeth — erroneously referred by Agassiz to Sauro- 

 cephalus — are large and lanceolate in form, and implanted in sockets 

 as in the Sphyrcenidce. 



The teeth, and also the rostral bones, are found in all the British 

 Cretaceous strata. 



* Includes, besides the Mackerel, ths "Tunny," the " Bonito," the "Albacore," 

 and the "Sucking-fish." 



