HONEYMAN — ON PRE-CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS OF PICTOU. 105 



Dr. Gill's reply was as follows : — 



I recognize in the figure seot the young of Lophius Americanus (as I 

 think it must be) but it seems that you have overlooked the two 

 anterior dorsal rays and miscounted the pectorals. Have you not also 

 observed some minute filaments or tags on the head and body? 



Now, as regards the two anterior dorsal rays and the tags alluded to, 

 I have little hesitation in saying that they are absent in this specimen, 

 and as the fish was in a very fine state of preservation when I examined 

 it, I do not think such processes could have been rubbed off in any way. 

 Another feature tolls against its being the young of Lophius^ viz. the 

 great elevation of the head which does not correspond with the dimen- 

 sions of young Lophioids of similar size given in Giinther's Catalogue. 

 For the present therefore, and until my return from the Bermudas I 

 must leave the matter unsettled, intending to include this and several 

 other forms in a more extensive paper I hope (D. V.) to lay before 

 the Institute next year. 



I must not omit, however, while on the subject of Lophioids, to 

 notice the fine specimen of L. piscatorius^ or what our American friends 

 are pleased to call L. Americanus^ (although it has no claim whatever to 

 be considered a distinct species from the European form), recently taken 

 at the Dockyard, and now under process of being skeletonized at the 

 Lumber yard for presentation to the Museum, by Capt. TuUoch, R. E. 



The pectoral fins of the Lophioids are very singularly formed, as may 

 be seen by looking at a skeleton prepared by Dr. Honeyman, serving 

 the purpose of arms to rest upon while the fish remains stationary on the 

 look out for prey. 



Art. III. On Pre- Carboniferous Kocks of the Pictou 

 Coal Field. By the Kev. D. Honeyman, D. C. L., 



F. G. S., &c., Director of the Pi^ovincial Mitseiim. 



{Read JVov. 13, 1871.) 



ABSTRACT. 



In the Report of Progress of the Canadian Survey, from 1866 

 to 1869, page 7, Sir W. G. Logan says in reference to certain 

 pre-carboniferous rocks underlying the Pictou Coal Field, '* No 

 evidence was observed by me on McLellan's Mountain to shew to 

 what epoch these older rocks belong ; but masses somewhat similar 

 are noticed by Mr. Hartley on the west side of the East River, in 

 a position where they have been mentioned in his Acadian Geology 



