Davis—On the Fossil Fishes of the Chalk of Mount Lebanon. 567 
be counted. The anal fin has its origin 3°5 inches behind the anterior rays of the 
ventrals, and its base extends about an inch along the surface, being separated by 
only 0°6 inch from the base of the tail. It probably consisted of about eighteen 
rays, but its badly preserved condition renders an exact description impossible. 
This specimen is unique. It most nearly approaches Osmeroides gracilis in 
size and form, but differs from it in the position and size of the anal fin; in 
O. gracilis it is separated from the caudal by 1°5 inch, its base occupies 0°5 inch, 
and it is composed of twelve rays. In the species now described the anal fin 
is only 0°6 inch in front of the caudal; its base occupies 1-0 inch, and it comprises 
eighteen rays. 
Formation and Locality.—Soft Chalk: Sahel Alma, Mount Lebanon. 
Ez coll.—Lewis Collection, Natural History Department, British Museum. 
Genus. Sardinius. Von pER Marck. 
Slenderly built fish, with fins large in proportion to the size of the body; 
tail deeply forked. The dorsal fin occupies middle portion of the back, and 
consists of five undivided and thirteen to fourteen branching rays. The pectoral 
and ventral fins are well developed; mandible and intermaxillary bones are 
provided with numerous fine setiform teeth. The scales are circular, with con- 
centric circles and radial furrows. 
In some of the examples described by Von der Marck the intestines are 
preserved by phosphate of lime, and small crabs and other animal substances 
which are present indicate the character of their food. It has already been stated, 
when considering the relationship of the genus Osmeroides on a previous page, 
that the genera Sardinoides and Sardinius were instituted on a sound basis, and, 
notwithstanding the objection of Professor Pictet, ought to be retained. No 
evidence can be traced, in the species it is now proposed to include in this genus, 
of an adipose dorsal fin, and its generic characters agree with those of the species 
described from the chalk of Westphalia, whilst specific differences readily separate 
it from the species already included in the genus. 
Sardinius crassapinna, Davis. 
(elke oocnmaiiteanay) 
The body and fins of this specimen are remarkably well preserved; the head 
is somewhat disjointed, but can be fairly determined. The length of the fish, 
exclusive of the tail, is 3 inches, and of this the head occupies one-third; the 
tail, from the termination of the spinal column, is 1:0 inch in length; the height 
4H2 
