396 



MEMOIRS OF THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM. 



These spinules are not very greatly enlarged, but in advance of the first dorsal 

 fin they become interspersed with, and finally replaced by, a series of much larger 

 shagreen-scales, the surface of which is elevated into a number of sharp ridges 

 radiating from a common point of intersection. These stellate spicules are longest 

 along the front margin of the first dorsal fin, but smaller ones of similar form, or 

 more frequently with two rays meeting at right angles, are distributed over the 

 region of the head. These structures are no doubt identical with those described 

 by von Zittel as " vierstriihlige Schuppen" in the Munich example already referred 

 to. IQaatsch's figure of the shagreen-denticles in a modern dogfish is reproduced 

 herewith to illustrate the manner of arrangement. Both the shagreen and calcified 

 cartilage in various portions of the body are exquisitely preserved in the specimen. 



Family SCYLLID^ (Dog-Fishes). 



Genus Phorcynus® ThioUiere. 



Dorsal fins above the pelvics and anal respectively, which latter are small. 

 Form of body slender, length of head contained about five times in the total length. 

 Tail of moderate length, with axis flexed upward in well-developed superior caudal 

 lobe. 



3. Phorcynus catulinus ThioUiere. (Plate LVII, fig. 2.) 



1854. Phorcynis catulina ThioUiere, Poissons Fossiles etc. dans le Bugey, p. ST. 

 1889. Phorcynis catulina A. S. Woodward, Cat. Foss. Fishes Brit. Mus., Pt. I, 



p. 458. 

 1911. Phorcynus catulinus C. R. Eastman, Am. Journ. Sci. (4), Vol. XXXI, 



pp. 402-3. 



This is the only known species and type of the genus, which attains a length 

 of about 40 cm. In the form and position of the fins it closely resembles the 

 recent Ginglymostoma, except for the slightly more anterior origin of the first and 

 second dorsals. 



"Phorcynis ThioUiere; Phorcynus Eastman, Am. Journ. Sci. (4), Vol. XXXI, 1911, p. 402 {errore). 

 {Error hie iteratus). The Editor takes occasion to emphatically protest against the change which has 

 been made in this generic name by Dr. Eastman. The change is contrary to the laws of priority (cf. 

 Proc. Seventh Internat. Zool. Congress, p. 43, Art. 19). ThioUiere in forming the name took the stem 

 of the Greek noun ^opkDs, which is </>opicCv-, and added the feminine ending is, thus forming a noun, which 

 may be interpreted to m ean " a sea-goddess." H'e might better have added the Greek inflectional ending 

 V, but he did not. At this date, after the name has been accepted by two generations of scholars, it is 

 rather late to propose a modification. At the insistence of Dr. Eastman I leave the name as he has 

 spelt it, but record my protest against the liberty he has taken. If arbitrary changes like this are con- 

 stantly to be made, there never will be any possibility of arriving at "a stable scientific nomenclature " 

 in ichthyology, or any other of the natural sciences. W. J. Holland. 



