68 



THE ASTER0LEPI8, 



which runs along the top and sides, and seems to have fur- 



uished the lino of attachment to the creature's body, is com* 



Fig 26. 



SCALES OF A8TEK0LEPIS. 



(Nat. size.) 

 a. Inner surface of scale. b. Exterior surface. 



paratively smooth. The exterior carvings, though they de- 

 mand the assistance of tlie lens to see them 

 aright, are of singular elegance and beauty ; as 

 perhaps the accompanying woodcut (fig. 27) 

 which gives a magnified view of a portion of 

 the scale immediately above (6), from the middle 

 of the honeycombed field on the right side, to 

 where the anastomosing ridges bend gracefully 

 in their descent, may in some degree serve to 

 show. I have seen a richly inlaid coat of mail, 

 which was once worn by the puissant Charles 



the Fifth : but its elaborate carvings, though they 

 PORTION OF , , / , „_ Vw „. . 



CARVED suR- belonged to the age of Benvenuto Cellini, were 

 PACE OP SCALE, ^.^^q ^^^ Unfinished, compared with those which 

 (Mag. four dia- o ^ a ■, . 



meters.) fretted the armour of the Aster olepis. 



