132 Evolution and Distribution of Fishes 



by similar physical conditions, and in close proximity to 

 land." 



The most recent and remarkable additions to our knowl- 

 edge regarding the distribution of Devonian fishes are due 

 to material secured by the Arctic "Fram" expedition of 

 Nansen, and by the "Terra Nova" expedition to the Ant- 

 arctic. The fossils from the former region were secured 

 by Dr. Schei at four localities round the upper end of Goose 

 Fiord in EUesmere Land, and on his death were described 

 by Kiaer {gia: i). The rocks evidently belong to the 

 "uppermost member of the Devonian," and consist of red 

 and gray sandstones, sandy and micaceous schists, "anthra- 

 cite in strips and thin layers," also at three of the four 

 localities of "bituminous layers in the light gray sandstone." 

 The richest locality yielded "a quantity of mussels, numer- 

 ous fish remains, and indeterminable fragments of plants." 



Two species of Psammosteus, one of Bothriolepis, 

 Holoptychius scheii, a Glyptolepis that is possibly identical 

 with G. paucidens, and a species of Osteolepis, together 

 indicate Old Red freshwater deposits that had been laid 

 down in waters which must have been more or less con- 

 tinuous from Russia, Scandinavia, and Scotland westward 

 to the central and arctic parts of the North American 

 continent. 



Still more recently A. S. Woodward has published 

 in the records of the British Terra Nova Expedition {gib: 

 51) a paper that opens up new and striking suggestions 

 as to the distribution and environment of some Old Red 

 fishes. For in "Fish Remains from the Upper Old Red 

 Sandstone of Granite Harbor, Antarctica" he has been able 

 to identify the following: 



Antiarchi Crossopterygii 



Bissacanthoides debenhami Holoptychius antarcticus 



Bothriolepis antarctica Osteolepid 



Elasmnbranchii . • 



L heir acanthus sp. ^ f^. 



Dipnoi Palaeoniscid. 



Fragments of Coccosteus 



The existence of the above fishes in palaeozoic rocks near 

 the South Pole, opens up many puzzling problems. But 

 Granite Harbor is south from Australia, though nearly 



