Cope.] 2^*^ I'^ov. 5, 



SECOND ADDITION TO THE HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF THE 

 CRETACEOUS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



By Edw. D. Cope. 



Bektx insculptxjs, Co^je. 



This species is established on a specimen obtained by Samuel Lock- 

 wood, Director of Public Schools for Monmouth county, N. J., from the 

 lower green sand-bed in the same county. A second specimen was found 

 by Jno. Meirs, in the dark clay marl, just below the upper green sand- 

 bed, at Hornerstown, Monmouth county. This one is in possession of 

 Prof. O. C. Marsh, of Yale College. 



The species is stout, and covered with very large, thick scales. The 

 fins are not well preserved, but radii of all but the pectorals remain, 

 and are of stout proportions. The scapular arch and cranium are 

 strongly marked with narrow, elevated ridges, which form a reticulate 

 relief. The scales are large and narrowly exposed below the lateral line, 

 There are seven longitudinal series below this line, and not less than 

 two above ; there are twenty -three in the lateral line, and possibly a few 

 more, as the point of departure from the suprascapula is lost, and greater 

 part of the cranium broken away. The sculpture of the scales consists 

 of a series of radiating ridges, whose interspaces are equal to them, and 

 whose extremities project as short acute points. These ridges are inter- 

 rupted at a short distance from the middle of the exposed surface, form- 

 ing irregular obtuse elevations, while the middle of the area is divided by 

 shallow grooves into irregular areas. The Avhole are sometimes crossed 

 by one or two shallow interrupted concentric grooves. The tubes of the 

 lateral line do not extend behind the middle of the exposed area, and are 

 acute, and with an areolate rugose surface. The depth of the body near 

 the middle is 3 in. 3 lin. below the lateral line ; at a short distance behind 

 this point, there is 1 in. 2 lin. above this line, if there are only the two 

 series of scales, visible in the specimen. The length of the species is 5 

 in. 7.5 lines to what is probably the posterior margin of the pectoral 

 arch. Depth of the caudal peduncle at the base of the fin 1 in. 1 1. 

 Length of a ventral ray 1 in. 7.5 lines, as far as traceable. The dorsal 

 and caudal rays are very stout ; a series of small smooth scales continues 

 the lateral line on the middle of the tail. 



As compared with the Beryces of the European Cretaceous, B. radians 

 is at once, excluded on account of its small scales, and B. germanus, on 

 account of the granulation of the same, as described by Agassiz. The 

 B. levesiensis Mant. {B. ornatus Ag.) presents several series of acute 

 mucrones, instead of the single series of the present species, while in the 

 B. roicrocephalus Ag. the areolation of the middle area of the B. insculij- 

 tus is wanting, and a greater breadth of the scale is exposed. The B. 

 zippei, from Bohemia, is a much smaller species, and betrays no such 

 strong scul]3ture of the cranial bones. 



This species has not been found in the upper green sand-bed of the 

 New Jersey cretaceous. 



