5O TRIASSIC FISHES AND PLANTS. 
middle portions of the body were a mass of scales and bones apparently 
representing the place and area of the abdomen, shoulders, and head, but 
two much confused to admit of accurate description or representation. The 
length of the fish must haye been eighteen to twenty inches and the breadth 
of the body at the widest part at least six inches. At the narrowest point, 
immediately anterior to the base of the caudal fin it is quite two inches 
wide; the tail when fully expanded must have been five or six inches 
broad. It consisted, apparently, of fifteen closely jointed rays, some of 
which are one-quarter of an inch inwidth; the fulera are numerous above, 
still more so below; the anal fin was about three inches long, having at 
least sixteen fulcra and seven rays; the seales half an inch or more in 
diameter, thick, enamel covered, and shining. The general aspect of the 
fish is that of Lepidotus, as it is much larger and coarser than most species 
of Ischypterus. The tail, however, is considerably more heterocercal than 
in any species of Lepidotus, and in fact in structure is precisely like that of 
Ischypterus. The dorsal line is very imperfectly shown in my specimens, 
and it is impossible to determine from them whether a row of spine-like 
scales extended from the head to the dorsal fin. This would be conclusive 
as to the relationship of this fish to Ischypterus, and doubtless that evidence 
will be forthcoming. 
Genus CATOPTERUS J. H. R. 
Tile-scaled ganoids of medium size, body fusiform or long-ovoid in out- 
line; head relatively small, obtuse or acute, all head bones highly orna- 
mented; cranium opercula, maxillaries, and mandibles covered with tuber- 
cles of enamel; clavicles bearing parallel or interrupted raised lines ; teeth 
numerous, conical, acute on premaxillaries, maxillaries, and mandibles; fins 
broadly or narrowly triangular, acute, all bearing numerous closely-set, 
rod-like fulera along the anterior margins; rays many-jointed, enameled, 
and polished; dorsal fin placed far back on the body, generally opposite the 
middle of the anal; caudal fin deeply and gracefully forked; extremity of 
body obliquely rounded and extended a short distance into the upper lobe 
of the caudal fin; anal fin reaching nearly to base of caudal; ventrals 
midway between anal and pectorals; scales rhomboidal on the sides, toward 
