278 



PICTUKESQUE SKETCHES 



In considering the ancient tertiary fishes of Europe, 

 I have confined myself to an account of those of 

 the London clay, because in the adjacent basins of 

 the same age in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 

 in the neighbourhood of Paris and other parts of 

 France, and in Belgium, the fossils found include but 

 few remains of this kind, being chiefly indicative of 

 the condition of the sea with regard to the other in- 

 habitants, such as shells, or else offering illustrations 

 of the nature of the quadrupeds and land animals of 

 higher organization than of fishes. The two remarkable 

 localities already alluded to, that of Monte Bolca in 

 northern Italy, and that of Mount Lebanon in Asia 

 Minor, include also many remains of fishes; and these, 

 although exhibiting different species, still further con- 

 firm the general conclusions arrived at from the study 



of the Sheppey beds 

 of the London clay. 

 A very interesting 

 example has been 

 described lately by 

 Sir P. Egerton, and 

 is figured in the ac- 

 companying cut. It 

 is a small but per- 

 fect Kay; and the 

 rarity of obtaining 

 Placoid fishes of 

 any kind, even in 

 tolerable perfection, 

 renders this beau- 

 tiful specimen ex- 

 tremely interesting. It is a male of full age, with a 



122 



FOSSIL RAY FROM LEBANON. 

 (Cyclobatis.) 



