366 Dr. J. E. Gray on Myriosteon Higginsii. 



XL. — Notes on Myriosteon Higginsii. 

 By Dr. J. E. Geay, F.R.S. 



On the 12th of April 1864, I described, at the Zoological 

 Society, a new form of animal under the name of Myriosteon 

 Higginsii^ probably indicating a new group of Echinodermata. 

 (See Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 164.) 



The specimen described had been generally regarded as the 

 tail of a Ray, and some considered it a shell of a gigantic 

 Foraminifer or the coral of a Polyzoan ; but I was induced to 

 believe, on account of the various pores and perforations on 

 its surface, that it indicated a new group of radiated animals 

 allied to Asterias. 



I was satisfied that it could not be the tail of a Ray ; for 

 that consists of vertebrse covered with muscle, which is itself 

 protected by a skin ; whilst the specimen under examination 

 is a hollow, elongated, compressed, rigid, bony cone, covered 

 with hard concretions, and not at all flexible, or capable of 

 movement like the tail of a fish. 



I then stated that I did not believe it was " a part of any 

 vertebrated animal." This is the part of my communication 

 I wish to correct. 



Having been requested by my friend Dr. E.Perceval Wright 

 to allow him to examine a fragment under the microscope, 

 when it was cut off I was much struck with the great simi- 

 larity of the inner surface of the tube and the calcareous 

 granulation to bone ; and on consideration, I am now inclined 

 to believe that it is part of a fish, and most probably, as they 

 are the only ones which have a granulated skin, part of a 

 cartilaginous fish ; but the external surface of the tube is 

 much harder and bone-like than the skeletons of these ani- 

 mals : it is probably an appendage of the head, like the beak 

 of a sawfish. 



On showing it to my friend Mr. Carter, he stated that he 

 had found a somewhat similar specimen on the coast of Arabia, 

 and that he thinks it was attached to the head of a kind 

 of Ray. Unfortunately, he does not recollect to whom he 

 gave his specimen, but will search for the description in his 

 journal on his return home ; and he believes it to be a part of 

 the nasal bones. 



I may observe it differs from the saw of the sawfish in being 

 of a harder substance. Unfortunately, the state of my eyes, 

 ever since the accident which occurred to them during the 

 fire at the bookbinders of the Museum, has not allowed me to 

 examine it under a microscope ; but I have furnished Prof. 

 Kblliker, Dr. Giinther, Dr. Perceval Wright, and Mr. Carter 



