204 SHUFELDT. [VoL. II. 
Of all the bizarre structures that pertain to the organization 
of fishes which it has been my pleasure to examine, I cannot 
recall at this moment one that presents quite so supremely a 
fantastic arrangement as the eleven or twelve leading vertebra 
in the column of Grammicolepis. These are represented in 
Fig. 13, but I have omitted to include the first vertebra, or that 
one which is found between the basioccipital and the one shown 
in the figure with the enormous neural spine. In it the neural 
spine is not developed, and its connections with the skull are 
very intimate. 
Taken in connection with Professor Poey’s account of these 
parts, this figure obviates the necessity of my presenting a 
verbal description of any great length, as all the details can be 
plainly studied without any such additional assistance. 
I am inclined to think that the bony pillars, which I described 
in a previous paragraph, found on either side of the foramen 
magnum, and completely fused with the exoccipitals, are the 
halves of the neural spines of this first vertebra of the spinal 
column. To support this view, we find by placing this vertebra 
in position, that their pedicles spring from the centrum as in 
other vertebre, and that, moreover, the sculpturing on the 
external surfaces of these pillars is precisely like that upon the 
sides of the neural spine of the second segment of the column. 
This last process is very strong, and quite firmly attached to 
its centrum: it curves gracefully first backwards, then upwards, 
in a gentle curve, as shown in Fig. 13. 
The succeeding four neurapophyses are inclined well back- 
wards, each one, as we advance in that direction, becoming 
shorter, more slender, and with a gradual disposition to assume 
the vertical attitude. This is nearly accomplished by the neural 
spine of the next segment following, or the seventh vertebra. 
Fig. 13 shows, also, the eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh ver- 
tebrze, and, as will be seen, the neurapophyses of these segments 
actually lean forwards. The one on the twelfth, not here 
shown, is nearly vertical again, while after that, they gradually 
incline backwards. The broken spines on the last two vertebre 
of the figure I have restored by dotted lines. 
Now a glance at Fig. 14 is enough to convey to us that the 
arrangement of these neurapophyses are entirely different in 
Caranx hippos. In this latter drawing the first vertebra is 
