Miscellaneous. 325 



• In a previous number of ' Science Gossip,' Mr. Kitton figures the 

 Hyalonema with its parasitical • sponge (fig. 19), and the various 

 spicules which he has observed in diff'erent parts of it (figs. 21-31) : 

 these figures are good, except fig. 20, representing the ends of a 

 broken fibre of the rope. He does not seem to be aware that 

 Hyalonema is more common without its parasitic sponge at the tip 

 than with it; but the specimens with the sponge were formerly 

 more sought for by travellers and brought to England, whilst 

 the Russian specimens, being collected by naturalists, were chiefly 

 without this parasite ; and now we constantly receive them without 

 any appearance of sponge, covered with living polypes up to the tip 

 of the rope. 



On Prognathodus Giintheri (Ei/erton), a new Genus of Fossil Fish 

 from the Lias of Lyme Regis. By Sir P. de M. Grey EaERXON, 

 "Bart., M.P., F.R.S., P.G.S. 



In this paper the author described a new form of fossil fish, 

 having a broad premaxUlary plate somewhat resembling the incisor 

 tooth of a gigantic llodent, a single maxillary plate like that of 

 Callorhyfichus, and a mandibular dental apparatus closely resembling 

 that of Cochliodus. For this form he proposed the establishment of 

 the new genus Prognathodus, and named the species P. Giintheri. 

 Iscliyodus Johnsoni, Agassiz, also probably belongs to this genus, as 

 it agrees with P. Giintheri in the characters of the premaxillary 

 teeth. The author was doubtful as to the exact position of this 

 genus, which had a head extended in a horizontal instead of a ver- 

 tical plane, suggesting a resemblance to Zygcena, but covered with 

 hard plates like the head of a sturgeon, and exhibited in the dental 

 apparatus the curious combination indicated above. 



Dr. GiJNinER pointed out the interest attaching to the dentition 

 of this fossil fish as being an additional evidence in favour of the 

 connexion between the Ganoid and Chimaeroid forms. The exist- 

 ence of three teeth instead of one on each side of the jaw, as in 

 Ceratodus and others, presented in it a generic character ; but the 

 type was still the same. On one point he slightly difi'ered from the 

 view of the author ; and that was as to the application of the terms 

 maxillary and premaxillary to the teeth. He thought the former 

 belonged rather to the pterygo-palatine arch, and that the teeth in 

 the front of the jaw should be regarded ^s vomerine. He illustrated 

 this by reference to the jaws and dentition of sharks, Chimturoids, 

 and certain Ganoids, such as sturgeons. In these the teeth, instead 

 of being connected with the maxillary and premaxillary bones, 

 were, in fact, connected with the pterygo-palatine arch. He con- 

 sidered that this furnished additional grounds for including aU three 

 forms in one subclass. — Proc. Geol. Soc. March 6, 1872. 



Felis pardinoides. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.ll.S. &c. 



In the Minutes of the Meeting of the Zoological Society on the 

 20th February last, Mr. Sclater observes, a paper was read " by Mr. D. 



