

ROOM V. LEPIDOTUS. 429 



liquely, on the anterior margin of the dorsal and anal fins, 

 and on both margins of the caudal. (Part of the first ray of 

 a dorsal fin, with scales, is represented Lign. 87.) 



Lepidotus minor. The smaller species is often found in 

 the Purbeck limestone almost as entire as if recent, of which 

 the beautiful Ichthyolite in Case B (No. 6), is an example. 



At the bottom of this Case there is a specimen of Lepidotw 

 semiserratm from the Lias of Whitby, remarkable for the per- 



LIGN. 88. LtpiDOTUs; OF THE WEALDEN. (- nat. size.) 



feet state of the head, which is uncompressed, and exhibits 

 its normal form. 



The habits of the Lepidoti, as indicated by the form and 

 structure of the teeth, were those of fishes whose food consisted 

 of crustaceans, shelly mollusca, &c. ; for the dental organs are 

 peculiarly adapted for the crushing and grinding of such sub- 

 stances ; and the teeth of the adult fishes are generally worn 

 down by use. 



Pholidophorus. This is a genus of small fishes allied to 

 the Lepidotus, some species of which abound in the Lias and 

 Oolite; their remains are commonly found associated with the 

 skeletons of the enalosaurians, at Lyme Regis, Barrow-on- 

 Soar, &c. ; they have only brush-teeth. There are many 

 specimens in this Case from Solenhofen. 



SAUROIDS. Wall-case B. . (Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10:) The fishes of 

 the SAUROID (lizard-like) family were thus named by M. 

 Agassiz, in consequence of certain peculiarities of organization 

 which are found in no other animals of their class, but exist 

 in reptiles. 1 



1 " Recherches sur les Poissons Fossiles," par L. Agassiz, tome ii. 



