Miscellaneous. 491 



known collector of fossil fishes, and an author of repute in de- 

 partments of geology and palaeontology, and not with reference 

 to the locaKty where it was found. The specific name cyclosoma 

 was given in allusion to its nearly circular shape. The original speci- 

 men, though not entire, was very nearly so, being, however, deficient 

 in the dentition and the tail. This interesting fish has remained 

 unique until the present time. I am able, however, as a part of the 

 good fortune which has attended my work upon the Wardie Shales, 

 to announce the occurrence of a second specimen. It lay high upon 

 the shore, apparently east there by a lad. Like the original speci- 

 men, it occurs in a nodule, of which, however, only a fragment (and 

 the less important fragment) has been recovered. A careful search, 

 was instituted for the remainder, but without success ; and it is to 

 be feared that the counterpart is irrecoverably lost. That an inter- 

 val of about twenty years should have elapsed between the jsccur- 

 renee of the first and second examples shows that it is a fish of great 

 rarity. Its rediscovery, however, holds out the hope that other 

 Bpecimens will be found if the bed (for it appears each time to have 

 occurred in a particular bed of the Wardie series) be at intervals 

 carefully searched. 



The specimen here noted unfortunately throws very little addi- 

 tional light upon the structure of the fish. The dentition and the 

 tail remain, as before, unknown. A portion of the flank with about 

 ten series of scales is nearly all that has been preserved. The shape 

 of the scales and their superficial ornament are very well shown in 

 impression, the latter consisting of the characteristic tuberculation, 

 which makes this an easily identifiable fish. The weathering action 

 of the sea has been favourable to the disclosure of these characters. 

 The configuration and sculpture of the scales are not often so well 

 seen in fishes preserved in nodules. The chances are, when the nodule 

 is violently fractured by the hammer and chisel, that the halves sepa- 

 rate in such a way that only the undersides of the scales are visible. 

 Sometimes the plane of fracture lies right through the scales ; and 

 it is difficult in such cases to get at their shape or sculpture by the 

 employment of artificial aids. By the more gradual process of 

 weathering the nodule almost invariably splits along the plane most 

 favourable to the display of the superficial characters. The 

 writer has succeeded in obtaining for his collection several frag- 

 ments or entire specimens which have been preserved in this way. 

 "Where the weathering has proceeded far enough, as it has done in 

 several cases, the ornament has been exquisitely brought out; and 

 in several large fragments or entire specimens of Rhadinichthys and 

 CosmoptycMus there is very little left in this respect to desire. 

 From these natural moulds plaster casts may be easily obtained. 

 Other specimens only await the application of acid to bring out 

 their characters in an equally distinct fashion. 



The possession of a plaster cast of the type specimen, due to the 

 kindness of Dr. Traquair, places the accuracy of the generic identi- 

 fication beyond a doubt ; and though the cast does not show the 



