64 



European species P. phantapus. The only specimen then 

 accessible was one belonging to the Essex County Natural His- 

 tory Society, and as none but the external characters were avail- 

 able, it was not judged proper to impose a new specific name 

 without further investigation. The species, however, proves 

 now to be entirely distinct from phantapus, and from the gen- 

 eral aspect of the surface it may be called P. granulatus. 



The nature of the integuments is sufficient to separate it from 

 all species of Psohis hitherto described. The calcareous matter 

 is perhaps equally abundant, but instead of being deposited in 

 the form of large scales it constitutes a nearly uniform layer, 

 over which are scattered numerous round granules like those on 

 the edges of the scales in Jcevigatus. When a portion of this 

 layer is subjected to pressure beneath the microscope it is found 

 to consist of innumerable minute perforated plates, overlying 

 each other without order, bearing a strong resemblance to the 

 corresponding parts in Siereoderma. The inferior quadrangu- 

 lar space, on which the rows of suckers occur, is as plainly 

 marked as in any species of the genus. On microscopic exam- 

 ination, however, less striking contrast is found to exist as the 

 calcareous deposit is similar to that of other parts of the surface, 

 being merely less in quantity. 



The specimen from which the description is taken is about 

 six inches in length. It was caught in thirty fathoms water. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson called the attention of the Society to 

 the subject of the coal from the Head of the Bay of Fundy, 

 of which a sj)ecimen was exhibited by him at the meeting 

 of the sixteenth of April. 



That specimen showed the vein of the coal at right angles 

 to the laminse of the rock, hence it was thought at the time that 

 this was the general direction of the strata, a position in which 

 coal deposits had rarely been observed. During a recent visit 

 to the mine from which the specimen was taken, Dr. Jackson 

 had ascertained that the deposit is in reality parallel to the in- 

 cluding strata, but the specimen had been obtained from a vein 

 one foot in width, filling a seam caused by a shift of the rock, 

 by which it communicated with the bed of coal. The strata 

 are inclined at an angle of from 70° to 80<^. The depth of the 



