Reviews — Dr. Ti'ciquair's Wea/den Fishes, Belgium. 85 



Museum has at last been able to obtain the services of Dr. Traqnair for 

 the woi'k, and he has now Jiccomplished it in a manner which only his 

 experience, skill, and patience have made possible. The fossils ai-e by 

 no means in the best state of preservation for study, being crushed in 

 a gi'ey clay and not exhibiting the cranial osteology ; but they are 

 nearlj' three thousand in number, and they liave been so exhaustively 

 examined and compared by Dr. Traquair that the principal distinctive 

 characters of most of the species are well made out. 



The fish of perhaps the greatest interest is a new species of 

 Coccolepis (C. macropterus), which is a typical member of the 

 Palaeoniscidse, an ancient family not hitherto discovered above the 

 Piirbeck formation. Dr. Traquair publishes good restored figures of 

 this important fish, showing both the internal skeleton of the trunk 

 and an outer view, which lacks onlj- the details of cranial osteology. 

 It is the largest known species, except C. auHtralis from the Jurassic 

 of JVew South Wales; and its Acipenseroid pelvic fin-supports are 

 clearly shown, as already described in this earlier form. 



Of Lepidotus Dr. Traquair distinguishes three new species, and is 

 able to publish a good restored figure of L. hemiamrtensis. There are 

 also a few specimens of a small Notagogus, which seems to exhibit 

 scales more cycloidal than usual. 



The numerous specimens of Pycnodonts appear to belong to a single 

 new species of 3[esodon {31. bernifisartensis), of which Dr. Traquair 

 adds .an especially interesting restored figure. He considers that the 

 supraoccipital bone enters extensively into the cranial roof, widely 

 separating the pai'ietals, as in the highest teleostean fishes. 



A species of Eugnathid fish is referred to Calloptenis, a genus 

 hitherto found only in the Lithographic Stone of France and Germany ; 

 and there are two species of an Amioid, apparently of the genus 

 Amiop.sis, which is typically Cretaceous, but may also be represented 

 in the Purbeck Beds. 



The occurrence of Pholidophorus is doubtful, though probable ; and 

 there are several specimens of Pleuropholis and Oligopleurus^ which 

 are too imperfect for satisfactorj^ specific determination. Dr. Traquair 

 thinks that the Oligopleurus may be identical with P. vectensis from 

 the English Wealden. 



Leptolepid fishes are also abundant, including three new species of 

 Lcptolepis itself, and one new species of Aethalion, of which two 

 excellent restored figures, internal and external views, are given. 

 The Aetlialion is a large fish, bearing much I'esemblance to the so- 

 called Leptolepis valdensis from the Wealden of Southwater, Sussex. 



In conclusion Dr. Traquair summarizes his results, but refrains from 

 expressing an opinion on the question as to whether the Wealden 

 formation should be referred to the Jurassic or to the Cretaceous 

 epoch. He might have added to the cited literature Professor Seward's 

 determination of the Jurassic rather thaii Cretaceous affinities of the 

 Wealden Flora. A comparative table of the species from Bernissart 

 and those from the Fnglish Wealden is given, and the total absence of 

 Selachian fishes in the Bernissart collection is specially noted. As 

 Dr. Traquair himself remarks, geologists may deduce their own 

 conclusions from his results : and we should add that zoologists too 



