MK. J. W. DAVIS ON A NEW SPECIES OF COCCODUS. 567 



mented in a manner similar to that of the external bones already 

 described. 



Coccodus armatus, Pictet. — The specimen described by Prof. Pietet 

 (op. cit. pi. ix. fig. 9) exhibited the under surface of the upper jaw, 

 with the arrangement of the teeth ; and the under surface of the 

 shoulder-girdle, to which is attached a pectoral spine. The skeleton 

 is regarded as being of a more fibrous than osseous structure ; the 

 vertebral column is deformed by fossilization ; the osseous spines are 

 large and solid, and probably held the fins. The pectoral arch recalled 

 to the mind of the learned author the organization of the Rays. The 

 upper jaw is armed with four ranges of flat teeth, which cover the 

 entire surface of the palate ; they are preceded by a number of 

 small teeth at the extremity of the jaw. The teeth of the lower 

 jaw are represented by a single row ; they are smaller than those 

 of the upper, and Pictet found on examination that they were 

 attached to the jaw without roots, in a similar manner to those of 

 Pycnodont fishes. The spines attached to the pectoral arch recall 

 those of the Fimelodus Clarias, Geoff., a Siluroid fish found in the 

 Mle, as does also the bone to which it is attached, extending along 

 the side of the body. It also approaches the Sclerodermic Ostracion 

 in the bony covering of the anterior portion of the body. In 

 conclusion, Pictet considers that the fish most nearly approaches the 

 Siluroids, with some Sclerodermic resemblances, but differs from both 

 in the character of the teeth. 



The second example of C. armatus, described in the Transactions 

 of the Eoyal Dublin Society, is also imperfect, but exhibits a lateral 

 presentment of the bones of the head, a part of the vertebral column, 

 and the position of the dorsal fin. The fin referred to as the 

 " ventral," which should be " anal," is shown by the specimen now 

 described to be the base of the caudal. The anal fin is opposite to 

 the dorsal, but is absent in that specimen. The arrangement of the 

 teeth is exhibited, and is similar to that in the specim.en figured by 

 Pictet. The arrangement and character of the bones covering the 

 posterior part of the head are shown. There is an expansion of the 

 pectoral arch into three prominent, pointed, spinous processes. The 

 first has its origin behind the median portion of the operculum, and 

 from a broad base extends downwards, with a curvature ending in a 

 more or less pointed apex. A second and smaller process extends 

 in an outwardly diagonal direction from the body. The third 

 extends backwards parallel with the abdominal surface of the body, 

 becomes attenuated, and ends in a point. The surface of each is 

 striated and their margins are denticulated. 



Coccodus Lindsfroemi, sp. nov. — The example now described, whilst 

 possessing a sufficiently clear generic resemblance to Coccodus, as 

 defined and described by Pictet, presents several peculiar features, 

 which differ from the detailed characters of C. armatus, and renders 

 necessary the institution of a separate species. The size of the body 

 and the character and arrangement of the teeth are similar in all 

 the specimens previously described ; and the pectoral spine exhibited 

 in Pictet's figure is probably represented by the lower one 



