114 Dr. R. H. Traquair — Fifeshire Carboniferous Fishes. 



is truncated lie nearly quite undisturbed ; secondly, the great pro- 

 portional length of the neural and hgemal spines ; thirdly, ihe 

 apparent absence of the two separate dorsal fins with their compound 

 supporting ' axonosts,' characteristic of the Coelacanthidce. These 

 may have been lost in the present specimen, but the tips of the 

 neural spines come so close up to the dorsal margin that there 

 would not have been room for the last-named elements if of the 

 form prevalent in the genera of this family. Fourthly, the median 

 fin which we see beginning just opposite the posterior termination 

 of the abdominal cavity corresponds, in its relation to its supporting 

 elements, to the caudal of Ccelacanthiis, but is immensely further 

 forward in its commencement. It is unfortunate that, owing to 

 the truncation of the fish shortly after the commencement of this 

 fin, we cannot see the extremity of the tail, but enough is shown 

 in the specimen to prove its novelty, both specific and generic. 

 The acquisition of more perfect specimens is, however, urgently 

 to be desired, as it is clear that if the dorsal fins with their compound 

 axonosts are really wanting in this form a change must be made 

 in the received definition of the Coelacanthidas, as well as of the 

 Actinistian group of the Crossopterygii. 



From Ardross, collected by Mr. W. T. Kinneai*, and now in the 

 Edinburgh Museum. 



Eucenlrnrus ■paradoxus, n. g. and sp. — This extraordinary little 

 organism measures 2f inches in length, of which ^ inch may be allotted 

 to the head, f inch to the body, and 1^ inch to the tail. The head 

 is a mass of calcareous matter, in which something suggestive of 

 a broad curved mandible can be seen, but admits of no further 

 description. The body, f inch broad in front, is composed of a greyish 

 film, which when examined by a strong lens is seen to consist 

 entirely of minute, slender, slightly curved, and sharply pointed 

 spinelets. The tail is tapering in form, consisting of amorphous- 

 looking calcareous matter, but on each side (assuming that the 

 creature is crushed vertically) is a conspicuous row of double 

 spinelets arranged exactly opposite each other. From a common 

 base arise two spinelets, which ai'e placed close together and nearly 

 parallel to each other ; one of them, the anterior, being only half 

 the length of the posterior one, which just behind the body may 

 attain a length of -iVinch, though towards the end of the tail they 

 become smaller; both of the spinelets are slender, slightly curved, 

 round in transverse section, smooth externally, sharply pointed, and 

 traversed internally by a central tubular pulp cavity. No trace 

 either of internal skeleton, or of limbs, or fins of any sort can 

 be seen. 



This strange organism is another of the problems of Palseozoic 

 ichthyology, as it is scarcely possible to indicate its systematic 

 position with any degree of certainty. The nature of its dermal 

 armature would incline us to the belief that it is a Selachian, though 

 all other evidence to that efi'ect is wanting. 



From Ardross, collected by Mr. W. T. Kinnear, and now in the 

 Edinburgh Museum. 



