THE ANNALS 
MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
[FOURTH SERIES.] 
No. 11. NOVEMBER 1868. 
XXXVIT.—On the Occurrence of the Palatal Teeth of a Fish 
belonging to the Genus Climaxodus, M‘Coy, in the Low- 
main Shale of Newsham. By Tuomas ATTHEY*. 
In this communication I wish to make known the discovery of 
some palatal teeth which have occurred to me during the in- 
vestigations I have made in the black shale of the Low-main 
seam of Newsham. Some of these have been in my possession 
more than eight years, others have been found recently. In 
the hope of obtaining more perfect information relative to 
these curious teeth, a notice of their occurrence in this locality 
has hitherto beendelayed ; but it seems desirable to give a short 
notice of their discovery at the present time, preparatory to 
a more lengthened and careful description of them. 
Fourteen specimens of various sizes have occurred to me 
during the above-named period. Some of these are isolated 
palatal teeth ; but on one slab of shale, about four inches long 
and two and a half broad, there are remains of not less than 
eight teeth ; and from the manner in which they are imbedded, 
and the presence of great numbers of minute dermal tubercles 
in connexion with them, there can be no doubt that they all 
belonged to one individual. 
The general form of the upper surface of the tooth is ovate. 
This upper surface is supported by a bony process, which 
springs from the under surface and projects beyond the smaller 
extremity. The narrow portion of the upper surface is crossed 
by from four to six transverse imbricating ridges. In the 
larger specimens these ridges are strongly undulated, with the 
upper edge roughly broken up into coarse granulations. The 
broader portion of this surface is occupied by a very wide 
furrow or hollow bounded at the broad end by a sharp, slightly 
* Communicated by the Author, having been read at the Meeting 
of Tyneside Naturalists, Oct. 9, 1868. 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 4. Vol. it. 23 
