88 REPORT — 1860. 



and fishes were found. Usually these infillings consisted of a material as dense as 

 the limestone itself, and from which any organic remains could only be extracted 

 with difficulty. In another part of the section he was fortunate enough to find a de- 

 posit consisting of a coarse friable sand, containing similar remains. In order that 

 this might receive a more careful examination than could be given to it on the spot, 

 the whole of it, consisting of about 3 tons weight, was carted away to the residence 

 of the author, at Bath, a distance of twenty miles ; all of which had passed under his 

 observation, with the following results:— The fish remains, which were the most 

 abundant, were first noticed. Some idea might be formed of their numbers when he 

 stated that of the genus Acrodus alone, including two species, he had extracted 45,000 

 teeth from the three square yards of earth under notice, and that they were even 

 more numerous than these numbers indicated, since he rejected all but the most 

 perfect examples. Teeth of the Sauriclrfhys of several species were also abundant ; 

 and, next to them, teeth of the Hybudus, with occasional spines of the latter genus. 

 Scales of Gi/rolepis and Lepidotus were also numerous, and teeth showing the pre- 

 sence of several other genera of fishes. With the above were found a number of 

 curious bodies, each of which was surmounted by a depressed, enamelled, thorn-like 

 spine or tooth, in some cases with points as sharp as that of a coarse needle; these 

 the author supposed to be spinous scales, belonging to several new species of fish, 

 allied to the Squaloraia, and that to the same genus were to be referred a number of 

 hair-like spines, with flattened fluted sides, found in the same deposit. There were 

 also present specimens, hitherto supposed to be teeth, and for which Agassiz had 

 created the genus Ctenoplychius, but which he was rather disposed to consider 

 (like those previously referred to) to be the outer scales of a fish allied to the Squa- 

 loraia. It was remarked that, as the drift must have been transported from some di- 

 stance, delicate organisms could scarcely have been expected; but, notwithstanding, 

 it contained some most minute fish-jaws and palates, of which the author had, either 

 perfect or otherwise, 1.30 examples. These were from a quarter to the eighth of an 

 inch in length, and within this small compass he possessed specimens with from thirty 

 to forty teeth ; and in one palate he had succeeded in reckoning as many as seventy- 

 four teeth in position ; and there were spaces where sixteen more had disappeared, so 

 that in this tiny specimen there were ninety teeth ! Of the order Reptilia there 

 were probably eight or nine genera, consisting of detached teeth, scutes, vertebra?, 

 ribs, and articulated bones. Amongst these he had found the flat crushing teeth 

 of the Placodus ; a discovery of interest, for hitherto this reptile had only been found 

 in the muschelkalk of Germany, — a zone of rocks hitherto wanting in this country, 

 but which, in its Fauna, was represented by the above reptile. But by far the most 

 important remains in the deposit were indications of the existence of triassic mam- 

 malia. Two little teeth of the Microlestcs had, some years before, been found in 

 Germany, and were the only traces of this high order in beds older than the Stonesfield 

 slate. The author's minute researches had brought to light fifteen molar teeth, either 

 identical with, or allied to, the Microlcstes, and also five incisor teeth, evidently be- 

 longing to more than one species. A very small double-fanged tooth, not unlike the 

 oolitic Spalacot Iterium, proved the presence of another genus and a fragment of a 

 tooth, consisting of a single fang, with a small portion of the crown attached, a third 

 genus, larger in size than the Microlestcs. Three vertebra 3 , belonging to an animal 

 smaller than any existing mammal, had also been found. The author inferred that 

 if twenty-five teeth and vertebra?, belonging to three or four genera of Mammalia, 

 were to be found within the space occupied by three square yards of earth, that por- 

 tion of the globe which was then dry land, and from whence the material was in part 

 derived, was probably inhabited at this early period of its history by man}' genera of 

 Mammalia, and would serve to encourage a hope that this family might yet be found 

 in beds of even a more remote age. 



Remarks on Fossil Fish from the North Staffordshire Coal Fields. 

 By William Molyneux. 



The author of this paper stated that little more than two years ago the fossil fish of 

 the coal-field in question comprised, so far as was then known, a list of eight genera 

 only, and those of a kind most commonly found in other home-representatives of the 

 system. Last year, at Aberdeen, he had the honour, in connexion with Mr. Garner, 



