THE ANNALS <?.^^ 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[FOURTH SERIES.] 

 No. 11. NOVEMBER 1868. 



XXXVIII. — On the Occurrence of the Palatal Teeth of a Fish 

 helonging to the Genus Climaxodus, M^Coy^ in the Low- 

 main Shale of Newsham. Bj Thomas Atthey*. 



In this communication I wish to make known the discovery of 

 some palatal teeth which have occurred to me during the in- 

 vestigations I have made in the black shale of the Low-main 

 seam of Newsham. Some of these have been in my possession 

 more than eight years, others have been found recently. In 

 the hope of obtaining more perfect information relative to 

 these curious teeth, a notice of their occurrence in this locality 

 has hitherto been delayed ; but it seems desirable to give a short 

 notice of their discovery at the present time, preparatory to 

 a more lengthened and careful description of them. 



Fourteen specimens of various sizes have occurred to me 

 during the above-named period. Some of these are isolated 

 palatal teeth ; but on one slab of shale, about four inches long 

 and two and a half broad, there are remains of not less than 

 eight teeth ; and from the manner in which they are imbedded, 

 and the presence of great numbers of minute dermal tubercles 

 in connexion with them, there can be no doubt that they all 

 belonged to one individual. 



The general form of the upper surface of the tooth is ovate. 

 This upper surface is supported by a bony process, which 

 springs from the under surface and projects beyond the smaller 

 extremity. The naiTow portion of the upper surface is crossed 

 by from four to six transverse imbricating ridges. In the 

 larger specimens these ridges are strongly undulated, with the 

 upper edge roughly broken up into coarse granulations. The 

 broader portion of this surface is occupied by a very wide 

 furrow or hollow bounded at the broad end by a sharp, slightly 



* Communicated by the Author, having been read at the Meeting 

 of Tyneside Naturalists, Oct. 9, 1868. 



Ann. & Mag. N, Hist. Ser. 4. VoLn. 23 



