138 THE OLD RED SANDSTONE. 



It would be out of place in a sketch of this nature to 

 enter into technical details, but it may be mentioned as of 

 some value, and not difficult of comprehension, that the 

 fishes of the lower zone, with fin-spines and minute lozenge- 

 shaped or but slightly-rounded scales, are known by such 

 names as acanthodes (spiny), cheiracanthus (fin -spine), 

 diplacanthus (double -spine), isnacantlius (slender -spine), 

 parexus (ladder -spine), and so forth, in allusion to the 

 character of their spines ; that those of the same zone 

 having the head enclosed in a bony shield or series of 

 plates, are named cephalaspis (buckler-head) and pteraspi* 

 (buckler -wing); that those of the middle zone having 

 their bodies enclosed in a bony case, somewhat like the 

 living trunk -fish, are known as coccosteus (berry -bone), 

 and 'pterichthys (wing-fish) ; while those of the same zone 

 with ordinary scales and fins are spoken of as osteolepis 

 (bony-scale), dipterus (double-fin), and diplopterus (twin-fin): 

 and that those of the upper zone, with their variously sculp- 

 tured scales and head-plates, are known as holoptycTdus (all- 

 wrinkle), glyptolepis (carved-scale), glyptolcemus (carved- 

 throat), and other such names, having allusion to some well- 

 marked and obvious distinction. There is nothing very 

 puzzling in the names once their meaning has been explained 

 and the objects to which they refer have been examined. 

 Indeed the local names for the living fishes of our own 

 coasts are often as puzzling and far less euphonious. Go to 

 Cornwall and you hear one name, cross to Lincoln and yon 

 have another ; proceed to Fife and you hear a third, or north- 

 ward to Wick and you have a fourth all requiring ex- 

 planation, and, till explained, as unintelligible as the much- 

 vituperated technicalities of the palaeontologist. 



of specimens, could have been easily obtained. The genera were chiefly 

 HoloptycMiis, Glyptolepis, Phaneropleuron, Glyptolcemus, Glyptopomus, 

 and Pterichthys. 



