Pro/! E. R. Lewis — Localities for Fossil Fish in the Lebanon. 215 



had not seen examples, I have the species mentioned, which are, 

 in some very few cases, identical with species described by himself 

 imder other names. But over and above all this, I have in my 

 collection several new and undescribed species. The possession of 

 so many interesting specimens has led me to study the subject with 

 care and interest, and to visit the localities from time to time, until 

 now I am induced to write a few words upon a subject of much 

 interest historically and geologically. 



M. Pictet never visited the localities of the Lebanon in person, 

 and his confrere, M. Humbert, did so at a most unfavourable time, 

 namely, at the time of the massacres in 1860. M. Louis Lartet 

 did not visit the localities, at any rate he quotes Botta and Humbert 

 in speaking of the places; although he was himself, at one time, 

 within an hour of Sahel Alma, when, in 1864, he visited the Dog 

 Eiver caverns.^ He evidently did not know how near he was to the 

 fossil fish locality, or perhaps was too much interested in his 

 archseological investigations and discoveries. He gives, however, 

 valuable hints respecting the neighbouring geological formation, 

 and confirms M. Botta's observations in part. Dr. Fraas did not go 

 so far north when he collected his valuable notes, which he has 

 since published.'' His book, however, has thrown much light upon 

 the geology of Palestine, and will be of help, indirectly, in settling 

 some of the questions respecting the age of the geological formations 

 in the Lebanon. He has visited the Lebanon more recently, and 

 will undoubtedly add much valuable information when he publishes 

 a second edition of his work. He has kindly sent me some of the 

 figures of new species found at Hakel, examples of which are in my 

 own collection also. He writes me, in acknowledgment of a few 

 photographs which I sent him of new species from Sahel Alma, 

 "But by far the most important specimens you have photo- 

 graphed are the Selachians, especially the Kays, which excel anything 

 hitherto known of this group. The remains published hy Pictet 

 are poor specimens compared with your remarkably fine series." 

 I shall defer writing upon the subject of the fossil fish themselves 

 imtil a future article, and content myself now with writing con- 

 cerning the localities, my visits to which have given me an ac- 

 quaintance with facts of considerable interest. But I do not think 

 it will be amiss to give, in English, as introductory to what I may 

 hereafter write, something of the history of these localities, be it 

 ever so briefly, before mentioning what I have discovered during 

 my visits to them. I am indebted, for the suggestions of various 

 authors, and to M. Pictet, although I have verified the references, 

 and corrected one or two unimportant errors into which he fell. 



The first mention of the existence of fossil fish in the Lebanon is 

 found in Joinville's " Histoire de St. Louis," edited by M. Natalis de 

 Wailly, page 270. During the sojourn of the King at Sidon in 1263, 



1 Exploration geologique de la Mer Morte, de la Palestine et de I'ldumee (p. 217), 

 par Louis Lartet. Paris, Arthus Bertrand, no date. 



2 Aus dem Orient von Dr. Oscar Fraas. Stuttgart verlag von Ebner und Seubert, 

 1867. 



