J^O. 7.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 441 



and the processes which support the rays of the tail, also the two 

 ischiatic bones with the metatarsals attached, which must have 

 formed the bases of two enormously developed ventral fins. 



The structural characters of the different specimens exhibited 

 were described and explained at some length. 



Mr. McFarlane asked whether these fishes were air breath- 

 ing animals, whether atmospheric oxygen was essential to their 

 existence. 



Mr. Whiteaves replied that the inference was they breathed 

 through their gills like ordinary fishes. Of course only the hard 

 parts had been preserved and there was nothing to show they had 

 gills. 



The Chairman said whatever opinion might be entertained of 

 the theory, there must no doubt have been sufficient oxygen in 

 the air for animal life, since butterflies were found in periods be- 

 fore the Carboniferous. There was nothing to prove that these 

 fishes had not a rudimentary lung through which they inhaled 

 oxygen like reptiles, as well as through the gills. He expressed 

 the great obligations the Society were under to Mr. Whiteaves 

 for his excellent paper, and stated that the specimens were a fea- 

 ther in the cap of the Geological Survey, being on a par with the 

 fishes discovered in the Old Red sandsstone of Scotland. 



The Secretary moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Whiteaves, 

 which was unanimously adopted. 



Fifteen specimens were exhibited, all of which, with one 

 exception, were discovered by Messrs. Foord and Ells. Several 

 lithographs illustrative of the subject were also shown. 



The following donations to the Museum were upon the table : 



1. Apatite Crystal from Bob's Lake, Bedford, Ont., presented 

 by W. J. Morris, Esq. 



2. Moss coated with mineral matter from Colorado, presented 

 by Dr. Kennedy. 



3. Collection of English Plants, by Col. G. E. Bulger, F.L.S., 

 F.Z.S. 



4. A fine Limulas jwJyphemns, from Miss E. Mathewson. 



The second meeting was held on Monday 29th November. 

 The President in the chair. The Secretary read minutes of last 

 meeting, and announced that arranuements had been made for 

 the Sonimerville lectures. 



