TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 89 



of exhibiting before this Section a collection of such remains, the generic number of 

 which amounted to upwards of twenty, including some new to science, and others of 

 a rare and interesting order. On the present occasion his principal object was to 

 draw attention to some specimens obtained since the period alluded to. One of 

 these, Ctenacan'hus Itybodoides (Egerton), was in a perfect state of preservation. 

 Another specimen was a lower jaw of Rhizodus, whose long powerful teeth, arranged 

 in pairs, resembled in their curved points R. incurvus of the Ohio coal-field ; but as 

 there appeared to be doubts of its specific identity, probably it would prove to be a 

 new species. There was also a fragment of a massive jaw of the same genus which 

 presented features of much interest to the ichthyologist. 



Of the smaller ganoids exhibited, one represented a new genus, obtained from the 

 deep mine ironstone shale at Longton, at the pit where ironstone was first worked 

 for the purpose of manufacture in North Staffordshire. The specimen measured four 

 inches in length, but was scarcely one inch in its greatest depth immediately behind 

 the head ; the form being tapering and elegant. The dorsal fin was placed but half 

 an inch before the bifurcating point of the caudal, and slightly in advance of the 

 anal fin, the rays being strong and articulated. The scales were rhomboidal in 

 form, and profusely ornamented with raised lines, which assumed the character of a 

 series of Gothic arches ranging from the centre of the scale. Some undescribed spe- 

 cimens of Palaeoniscus, with many large teeth of Placoid fish, were also exhibited. 



The coal-field in question was found to be particularly rich in fish-remains ; and 

 although little more than two years had been actively devoted to the subject, the 

 generic list had during that time increased from eight to thirty-three in number,' and 

 the author felt sanguine that it would ultimately prove quite as rich in species as the 

 Old Red of Scotland. These remains, it was stated, occur very irregularly ; some 

 beds of ironstone in the upper division of the measures contain considerably more 

 than others, but it was only in one instance, that of the new mine, that they were 

 found forming a stratum from one to three inches in thickness. Though anything like 

 perfect specimens were comparatively rare, the fine compact shales of the knowls 

 and deep mine ironstones had lately produced some well-preserved specimens of 

 Palaeoniscus and Platvsoma. 



Notice of a Fossiliferous Deposit near Farnell, in Forfarshire, N. B. 

 By J. Powrie. {Communicated by Sir R. Murchison.) 



This deposit, which is situated on the south-east bank of the Pow Burn, about half a 

 mile soulh-west of the Farnell Station of the Scottish North-Eastern Railway, 

 mostly consists of fine greyish argillaceous shales, the lower portion splitting into 

 laminae nearly as thin as writing-paper, and when first opened of a delicate cream- 

 colour; the upper beds are thicker, and vary from a cream-colour to dark grey: in 

 many places these are considerably stained by the infiltration of iron in solution. 

 The dip is, at an angle of about 12°, in a nearly north-west direction, the strike thus 

 following that of the Great Anticline which runs through Forfarshire, a little to the 

 south-east, in a direction of from north-east to south-west nearly'. 



This deposit rests conformably on a thick-bedded coarse dark red sandstone, and 

 varying from 4 to 6 or 7 feet in thickness, is overlaid by coarse broken shales, above 

 which is a considerable thickness of boulder clay and soil. Both from its position 

 and peculiar organic remains, it can at once be recognized as occupying the same 

 position in the Forfarshire formations as the Turin Hill and Carmvllie flagstones. 

 Cropping out on the banks of a small stream, it was first noticed as affording indications 

 of being fossiliferous by the Rev. Henry Brewster of Farnell, and pointed out by him 

 as such to the Rev. Hugh Mitchell, who first discovered that, besides Parca decipiens 

 and remains of Pteryyoti, &c, it contained small fishes in astate of wonderful preserva- 

 tion; these being, with the exception of Cephalaspis and afew very imperfect ichthyolites, 

 the first fishes found in the Forfarshire sandstones : a paper was read, and a selection 

 of these exhibited by Mr. Mitchell at the Meeting of the British Association held at 

 Aberdeen last August (1859). Indisposition has prevented him continuing to aid in 

 these explorations. 



The Earl of Southesk, on whose estates this deposit is situated, has lately most 

 liberally opened up this deposit, and placed the examination of its contents under the 



