FISHES AND MARINE ANIMALS. 267 



broken. It is curious to observe, that the pyritous mass in which 

 the vertebrae &c. are imbedded, has assumed something of the shape 

 of the animal, as in the fossil pike, Fig. 8, PI. XVI, 



On the top of the cranium in Mr. Watson's specimen, Fig. 3, PI. 

 XV, there is a deep hole, corresponding in situation with the blow- 

 hole of the whale or the dolphin, which led us to conjecture, that the 

 animal might belong to the cetaceous tribes ; an idea which the form 

 of its snout, its teeth, and its fins, might serve to corroborate; as we 

 have noticed in the description of this specimen, published in the 

 Memoirs of the Wernerian Society, Vol. III. We have not, however, 

 discovered the same kind of hole in other specimens; on the contrary, 

 the animal appears to have breathed by nostrils, rather than by a blow- 

 hole. Faint traces of nostrils may be detected even in this specimen, 

 and they are conspicuous in a fossil head in the collection of Mr. 

 Hinderwell, Fig. 2, PI. XVI ; in which also may be seen, the sockets 

 of both the eyes in their natural position, and a cross section of the 

 snout. No. 3, PI. XVI, is a fragment, shewing the way in which the 

 teeth of the one jaw lock into those of the other. 



The largest entire specimen lately found, measures fifteen feet 

 four inches, if extended at length ; but it only occupies thirteen feet 

 four inches, two feet of the tail being bent back. It shews one hun- 

 dred and forty four vertebrae ; and has part of both pectoral fins, and 

 of one of the small fins. The head, which is nearly a yard long, has 

 been injured by long exposure on the scar. This interesting specimen, 

 which was found near Saltwick, has been purchased for the Museum 

 of the University of Edinburgh. Much larger animals must have been 

 imbedded here, for vertebrae are found measuring five inches across, 

 whereas those of this specimen are only about half that size, and 

 those of Mr. Watson's three inches. 



These fossil remains, however, do not all belong to one species. 

 Considerable differences in the cranium, and other bones, have been 



