304 Dr. G. C. Wallich on a minute Vertebrate Jaw. 



elongate, and the caudal portion of the vertebral column com- 

 posed of more than fourteen vertebrae, the number of caudal 

 vertebrae is less in the species with the shorter tail. Tra- 

 chinus draco, T.araneus, and T. viper a have respectively 30-31, 

 29, and 25 caudal vertebrae, according to the length of their tail. 

 Cottus scorpius and C. huhalis, the different species of Solea, &c., 

 are examples of the same kind. But in T. armatus the short- 

 ness of the body is not accompanied with, or produced by, a 

 smaller number of vertebrae : it has forty-one vertebrae, thirty 

 of which belong to the caudal portion ; or, in other words, it 

 completely agrees in this respect with T. draco, 



XXXII. — Note on the Discovery of an extremely minute Vertebrate 

 Lower Jaw in Mud dredged at St. Helena. By Dr. Wallich, 

 F.L.S. 



To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 



Gentlemen, 



I beg herewith to enclose a sketch of the jaw of a vertebrate 

 animal, detected by me, a few days ago, in a slide containing a 

 specimen of muddy deposit dredged up at St. Helena, in 1857, 

 in 30 fathoms water, and mounted by me in Canada balsam at 

 the time it was obtained. 



The jaw and teeth are fully developed and perfect, there being 

 nothing in the aspect of either to indicate their having formed 

 portions of a creature in a foetal condition. 



The extreme length is y^^ inch ; so that, assuming the body 

 to have been five times as long as the jaw, we have here evidence 

 of the existence of a vertebrate animal measuring only ^-^ inch in 

 length — a size considerably below that of many of the organisms 

 usually regarded as microscopic. 



I have not had time hitherto to enter into a detailed examina- 

 tion of this most interesting specimen, but shall do myself the 

 pleasure of communicating further particulars regarding it at an 

 early opportunity. 



I remain, Gentlemen, 



Your most obedient Servant, 

 17 Campden Hill Road, Kensington. G. C. Wallich. 



Sept. 21, 1862. 



