MYRIOLEPIS HIBERNICA. L63 



Description. — In Plate XXXVI, fig. 3, is represented the specimen in the Jermyn 

 Street Museum, in which we have a good genera] indication of Llie contour of the fish, 

 thougli it is deficient in the caudal region, being cut off just behind the dorsal and 

 anal fins. The head is a little twisted upwards on the shoulder; making allowance for 

 that and for the lost tail-end, the original length may be estimated at about thirteen 

 inches, of which three may be allotted to the head, t lie length of which will therefore 

 he contained a little over four times in the total. 



In the head the cranial roof-bones appear to have been finely tuberculated. The sus- 

 pensorium is very oblique, impressions of the operculum and branchiostegal plates are 

 feebly visible, and in the mouth are indications of the presence of conical teeth. 



So far as the internal skeleton is visible it conforms to the Palaeoniscoid type, hut it 

 is not well shown. 



The pectoral fin is of moderate size for the fish; in its contour it, is rounded 

 distally; iis first ray seems to he unarticulated, but the rest are jointed up to their 

 origins. The ventral fin is rather long-based and iv placed right between the pectoral 

 and the anal. 



The dorsal and anal, also moderate in size, are triangular-acuminate in contour; 

 the dorsal is situated partly opposite the anal and partly opposite the space between that 

 fin and the ventral. The rays of all these tins are numerous, fine; and closely articu- 

 lated, hut, I have not detected any fulcra. Nor are the markings on the fin-rays 

 here observable. 



The scales are very small, being about -,'„- inch across ; as regards their markings, 

 these are like those- of the fin-rays, namely, invisible in this specimen. 



So far we have a fish whose configuration reminds us of E/onic/il/igs, except that 

 perhaps the dorsal fin looks a huh- further back than is usually the ease in that genus; 

 now, to complete the figure, we want, the tail and the caudal fin. This part, is supplied 

 in another specimen described and figured by Mr. Herbert Bolton in 1894, and Mr. 

 Bolton's remarks, not being lengthy, may be quoted in full : "The additional informa- 

 tion of Myriolepi% Hibernian supplied by this specimen may he summarised by saying 

 that the species possessed a powerful heterocercal tail of the Palaeoniscid type, and that 

 the head-bones were thin and covered by a ganoine layer of fine raised ridges. Tin; 

 opercular apparatus was continued underneath the jaw by a numerous series of branchio- 

 stegal rays." 



Dr. Smith Woodward has, however, described and figured a remarkable specimen, 

 which not only shows all the fins, but, raises some interesting points regarding the 

 specific characters of the fish itself, and to the kindness and complaisance of iis 

 describer I enjoy the privilege of refiguring the specimen and of making some comments 

 thereon. 



The specimen (Brit. Mus., P. 9604), PI. XXXVII, fig. 1, is comparatively small, its 

 length being equal to about ij\ inches as it lies, wanting a good piece of the upper lobe 



