30 



as the Crossopterygii ; and the scales, the fins and the bony plates 

 on the head all point the same way.' They studied the sketch 

 closely, noting these points. Then my wife turned to the first 

 page again, and she exclaimed sharply, 'Do you see when this 

 was written?' and passed the letter to me again. Good heavens, 

 23rd December and this was the 3rd January, eleven days gone. 

 Here is the letter, the sketch is on Plate i. 



East London, 



South Africa. 

 23rd December igj8 

 Dear Dr. Smith, 



I had the most queer-looking specimen brought to notice yesterday. 

 The Captain of the Trawler told me about it so I immediately set 

 off to see the specimen, which I had removed to our Taxidermist as 

 soon as I could. I however have drawn a very rough sketch, and am 

 in hopes that you may be able to assist me in classing it. 



It is coated in heavy scales, almost armour like, the fins resemble 

 limbs, and are scaled right up to a fringe of filament. The spinous 

 dorsal has tiny white spines down each filament. Note drawing 

 inked in in red. 



I would be so pleased if you could let me know what you think, 

 though I know just how difficult it is from a description of this kind. 

 Wishing you all happiness for the season. 



Yours sincerely, 



M. Courtenay-Latimer 



As I have already said, the East London Museum at that time 

 had a very small income and hardly any equipment; it was a 

 kind of Cinderella among the museums of South Africa, it even 

 had only a young woman, also a Cinderella as it happens, as 

 Curator. What had happened to this thing in the meantime? 

 If this was something really wonderful, what had happened to it ? 

 It had been handed over to the taxidermist, and as they obviously 

 had no idea of its being something sensational, it would be a 

 miracle if they had bothered to preserve all the insides. It was 

 summer, the flesh and intestines would certainly be putrid by 

 now, but perhaps the gills and any skeleton could be found, as 

 they had very likely buried all that. I must act, and quickly. 



Knysna is 350 miles from East London. In 1938 the roads were 

 shocking and the telephone service was not what it is today. 



