Short notices of American Fossil Fishes. 27 



lets ; which present a finely serrated appearance. The scales and 

 vertebra appear to extend into the upper lobe of the tail, but in a 

 more limited degree than appears in most of the older fossil fishes 

 of Europe. The following species may be assigned to this ge- 

 nus. 



1. Catopterus gracilis: J. H. R. — Larger Catopterus. The 

 length of this species varies from near seven to nine and a half 

 inches ; its width is from one and a half to near two inches. The 

 dorsal fin is small, nearly triangular, and is placed opposite the 

 center of the broad and flowing anal fin. The pectoral fins are 

 of an elongated form, and are strengthened on the anterior margin 

 by one or two large and partially flattened rays, to the front of 

 which, the fringe of fine raylets is attached. Owing to this 

 peculiarity of structure, the smallest section of the pectoral fin 

 will often serve to identify this species. 



Found at Westfield, Middlefield, Durham, and Southbury, 

 Ct. ;* Sunderland, Mass. ; and Boon ton, N. J. 



2. Catopterus macrurus : W. C. R. — Large finned or Virgin- 

 ia Catopterus. This beajatiful species is distinguished by its 

 broad and flowing fins ; of which the anal is so extended as to 

 be nearly joined to the caudal fin. The latter is finely extended. 

 The length of this species is from four to five inches ; its width 

 from one and one eighth, to one and three eighth inches. The 

 fringes of raylets on the anterior margins of the fins are remark- 

 ably fine and beautiful. The posterior margins of the scales 

 seem to be curled slightly outward, giving the surface a somewhat 

 roughened appearance. 



Found in Chesterfield county, Virginia ; twelve miles from 

 Richmond. Parts of near twenty specimens were found on a 

 single piece of the rock which was presented to the New York 

 Lyceum, the extreme length of which did not exceed twelve 

 inches. 



3. Catopterus an guilliformis : W. C. R. — Eel shaped Catop- 

 terus. This remarkable species, as hitherto found, is from seven 

 to near ten inches in length ; width from half to three fourths of 

 an inch. It has a finely forked and extended caudal fin of deli- 

 cate structure ; a well extended dorsal ; and all the fins are fring- 



* The Palaconisci are also found at Southbury, in the red sandstone basin of ihe 

 Housatonic valley, as appears from some fragments obtained by Mr. J. H. Red- 

 field ; but no distinguishable specimens have come under ray observation. 



