1896.] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 61 



median plate in Coccosteids is concei'ned there seems to the 

 present writer no reason why this divergence shonld not have 

 taken place in specialized members of this famil}'. And that 

 Dinichthys was eminentl}^ a highlj' specialized Coccosteid can- 

 not be doubted. 



Laboratoby of Zoology, Nov. 27, 1896. 



ON A NEW SPECIES OF EDESTUS, E. LEGONTEI, 

 FROM NEVADA. 



By Bashford Dean. 



Department of Zoology, Columbia University. 



Dr. John C. Merriam of the University of California brought 

 to the attention of the present writer during a recent visit to 

 Berkeley a unique and undescribed species of Edestus. This 

 had been collected, together with several other fossils, in the min- 

 ing region within a mile of Eureka, Nevada. The note as to its 

 exact locality had unfortunately been lost, but from the well de- 

 scribed stratigraphy * of this region Dr. Merriam had known 

 that the fossil as either Devonian or Carboniferous, believing 

 it, however. Carboniferous since all the species of Edestus 

 hitherto described are known to be of this age. In any event 

 the discovery of Edestus in Nevada extends notably the range 

 of this genus, since in this country it has hitherto occurred only 

 within the limits of the Mississippi coal field, in Arkansas, Indi- 

 ana and Illinois. It is now seen to have occurred west of the 

 Rocky Mountains, and in this direction it next appears in the 

 Carboniferous of Australia. 



The present specimen differs in a somewhat marked way from 

 kindred species. And it proves of especial interest as aflTording 

 a number of morphological notes concerning this, posssibly the 

 most puzzling fossil of our North American fishes. Through 

 the courtesy of Dr. Merriam the writer is now permitted to fig- 

 ure and describe it. The new species has been named in honor 

 of Professor Joseph LeConte of the University of California, in 

 recognition of the long services of this distinguished geologist. 



* Oeology of the Eureka District. Arnold Hayes' monograph. Mon. Geol. Surv. 

 XX. Also Palceontology. C. D. Walcott. Ibid. vlii. 



