408 FOSSIL FISH. 



of the Mediterranean. The form of the head, of the muzzle, 

 and of the lower jaw, the size of the eyes, and the place of the 

 fins which exist, are all exactly similar in both. 



The impression, which M. Volta refers to Esox vulpes^ has 

 assuredly no relation to that fish. It appears to approximate 

 more to certain species of clupcea, or rather, perhaps, to salmo 

 murcena. 



E. falcatus. A very incomplete impression, extremely con- 

 fused, and exhibiting scarcely any portion of the skeleton. It 

 indicates, however, a cylindrical and very elongated fish. The 

 head is very short, and the jaws more particularly so. The 

 latter are equal, and armed, according to M. Volta, with 

 robust and granulous teeth. The branchiostegous rays seem 

 about six in number, and are very robust ; the pectoral fins are 

 very small. Beyond the middle of the body, a ventral fin of 

 eight rays is visible ; and two or three inches beyond that an 

 anal of seventeen, but not very distinct, to which a single 

 dorsal is opposed, consisting of nineteen rays. Finally, after 

 a caudal pedicle, which is pretty long, comes a terminal fin, 

 very large, and deeply bifurcated. In the most ancient, as 

 well as in the most recent authors, nothing is described or 

 figured resembling this fossil. 



The impression given by M. Volta, as an analogue of the 

 Esox luciuSj or common pike, is so singularly defaced, that it 

 is astonishing how any person could venture to decide in a 

 case of so much difficulty, and on such scanty materials. 

 Nothing remains, in the least degree, to be recognized, but a 

 portion of the lower jaw, which has some resemblance to that 

 of a pike, and has been erroneously represented as the upper 

 jaw. It is impossible to tell to what genus of fishes this 

 impression most approximates. 



Esox macropterus, De Blain. M. de Blainville regards, as 

 belonging to this genus, a very fine ichthyolite, preserved in 

 the French Museum, and which may be about twenty inches 



