•^3(S Alhany Jluscum Meco/cifs. 



On a species of Cor/wanflitts from the Upper Beaufort Reds of 

 Aliwal North. 



By R. Broom, M.D. 



In the collection of Mr. Alfred Brown, of Aliwal North, are 

 two fragments of a Goelacanth fish from the lower Caledon River 

 district. The lari,'er fragment consists of the well preserved tail, 

 and caudal region as far forward as the base of the second dorsal 

 fin. And this specimen may be regarded as the type. The other 

 si)ecimen is evidently the second dorsal fin of a somewhat larger 

 animal. It is thus just possible, though rather unlikely, that the 

 second specimen belongs to a second species. 



The tail specimen, which may be taken as the type, is evidently 

 a portion of a rather elongated medium-sized species of Goelacan- 

 thus. In front of the anterior portion of the principal caudal fin 

 the body is slightly constricted and measures 23 mm. in depth. 

 From the narrowest portion to the tip of the supplementary tail 

 measures 62 mm. The principal fin is formed of 16 rays above 

 and 14 below, the average length of the rays beyond the region of 

 the scales is 20 mm. and the distal half of each ray is articulated 

 but not broader than the proximal unarticulated portion. From 

 the posterior end of the principal caudal fin to the tip of the sup- 

 plementary fin is 26 mm. The su})plementary fin has 13 rays as 

 preserved (possibly another is missing from the tip), all of which 

 are unarticulated. 



There is preserved what is apparently the base of the anal fin, 

 which is situated 72 mm. in front of the tip of the tail. The pos- 

 terior dors 1 fin must be rather further forward. The arrange- 

 ment of the internal skeleton is as in typical Goelacanths. 



The scales so far as preserved have been ornamented by fine 

 slightly wavy antero-posterior fine ridges of ganoine. 



