Actinopterygii Nematognathi Haplomi Apodes. 113 



ThynnichthySj AmblypJiaryngodon and Hexapsephus, from the 

 Eocene of Padang, in Sumatra; also Cobitis from Oeningen. 



SUB-OEDEE VI. Nematognathi. 



The remarkable family of Silurida?, or " Cat-fishes," though 

 so widely distributed at the present day, is very imperfectly 

 known among fossils. The earliest known member of the 

 family is Bucklandium diluvii, represented by a skull from the 

 London Clay of Sheppey. The Bracklesham beds and Barton 

 Clay yield evidence of a fish indistinguishable in its head from 

 the living genus Arius, and named Arius egertoni. Remains of 

 several other forms from the Siwalik Hills, India, and the 

 highlands of Padang, Sumatra, are also exhibited ; these being 

 mostly allied to species still living in those regions. 



Table-case, 

 No. 53. 



SUB-OEDEE VII. Haplomi. 



The Pikes (Esocidae) and toothed Carps (Cyprinodontidae) ^all-case 

 are not certainly known below the Lower Miocene or No. 16. 

 Oligocene. A true Esox occurs in the Miocene of Oeningen, 

 Switzerland. There are also fragments of the existing Esox 

 Indus from the peat of the Fenland. Most of the fossil 

 species of toothed Carps seem to belong to the living genus 

 Cyprinodon (Lebias) or a very close ally, and numerous 

 specimens are shown from the Upper Eocene deposits of Aix -Table-case, 

 in Provence, the Miocene of Oeningen, and the equivalent " 

 lignites of Central France and Germany. The fishes from 

 Aix are frequently found buried in shoals, as is well shown 

 by slabs of marl covered with their remains exhibited in the 

 case. Very singular is the occurrence of the genus Pcecilia 

 in the Oeningen beds, this being now confined to the freshwaters 

 of Tropical America. 



SUB-OEDEE VIII. Apodes. 



The " Eels " are spread at present over almost all the Table-case 

 freshwaters and seas of the temperate and tropical zones, and No. 52. 

 the earliest of their fossil remains hitherto discovered are from 

 the Upper Cretaceous of Mount Lebanon. Beautiful examples 

 of these are exhibited in the case. The genus Rhynchorhinus, of 

 the London Clay, seems to be rightly placed in this family ; 

 and in the beds of Monte Bolca there are representatives of the 

 living genera Anguilla, Opliichtliys, and Sphagebranchus, in 

 addition to numerous specimens of the so-called Leptocephali, 

 which are supposed to be undeveloped larval forms. Later de- 

 (1876) 9 



539* 



'QB 





