1854.] EGERTON — FOSSIL. FISH FROM THE DECCAN. 373 



lites recently received by Colonel Sykes is pretty clear, although the 

 specimens afPording it are deficient in many details. One specimen 

 and its counterpart contain a head and a small portion of the body; 

 another specimen shows the impression of the trunk as far as the 

 base of the tail ; and its mutilated counterpart contains the base of 

 the skull and the scales of the anterior and middle portion of the 

 body. With the exception of a few scattered rays, all the fins are 

 wanting. 



The length of the fish, from the nose to the base of the tail, is 7 

 inches, the greatest depth being 2y inches. The head measures 2J- 

 inches, or less than one-third of the entire length. It will be seen, 

 on comparing these dimensions with those of other species of Lepi- 

 dotus, that this is one of the smaller species of the genus. 



In general form it very much resembles the American genus 

 Ischypterus ; and indeed in size it corresponds pretty nearly with 

 the larger specimens oi Ischypterus fultus. The muzzle is pointed, 

 but not so acutely as that of the species last described; the 

 maxillary and facial bones are shorter, but the opercular bones are 

 proportionately larger. The form of the trunk is remarkable for the 

 vaulted outline of the back, in front of the position of the dorsal fin. 

 The opercular bones are more profusely ornamented than those of 

 Lepidotus longiceps. Although a few similarly isolated granules occur 

 here and there, these are associated with a surface-ornament of larger 

 grains, which in some places become confluent. The preoperculum 

 has, nevertheless, a more even surface than in that species. The 

 maxillary bones are shorter, and the teeth less elongated. The frontal 

 bones have a coarsely corrugated exterior, beset with pustuliform 

 grains of larger size than those on the surface of the opercular bones. 

 The coracoid bone is less flattened than in the former species. The 

 scales are small in size, and are entirely devoid of pattern on their 

 surface ; nor have they any serrations on the posterior margin. In 

 these respects they afford a good distinctive character from those of 

 Lepidotus longiceps. 



In addition to the specimens enumerated above, from the bitumi- 

 nous schist, the collection contains a fragment of a large Lepidotus, 

 apparently from a bed of compact argillaceous limestone, similar to 

 that containing the specimen of Mchmodihs Bgertoni described last 

 year*. This may possibly indicate another species. 



It may be worthy of remark that the genus Lepidotus has the 

 most extensive geographical range of any genus of fossil fish with 

 which we are acquainted. It has representatives from England, 

 several localities in France and Germany, from Switzerland, the 

 Tyrol, Lombardy, Naples, Greece, the Brazils, and from Central 

 India. Its stratigraphical range is also extensive, viz. from the Lias 

 to the Calcaire Grossier, both inclusive. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XII. 



Fig. 1. Lepidotus longiceps, nat. size. 

 Fig. 2. Lepidotus breviceps, nat. size. 



* Tetragonolepis Egertoni, Sykes; Quart. Joum. Geol. Soc. vol. ix. p. 351. 



