ELONICHTHYS BINNEYI. 75 



Specific Characters. — Attaiiiiiig a length of probably five inches. Scales pro- 

 portionally large, those of the Hank conspicuously higher than broad; ornament 

 consisting of striae, some of which form a band close to and parallel with the anterior 

 margin, behind which they run in an antero-posterior direction, not parallel with each 

 other, but tending to converge into groups, and ending on denticulations of the hinder 

 margin. Fins comparatively large. 



Description. — No really complete specimens of this very pretty species have as yet 

 been found, and consequently our knowledge of it, as in the case of t:. microlepidotus, is 

 still imperfect. The following description is founded on two specimens which belonged 

 to the Lite Mr. Edward Binney, of Manchester, and are now in the VVoodwardian 

 Museum, Cambridge. One of these is represented in PI. XVII, fig. 8, and measures 

 3^ inches in length by f inch in depth at the origin of the dorsal fin ; the other is 

 slightly larger, its length being af inches and its greatest depth ^ inch. In both the 

 fish is cut off at the commencement of the tail pedicle, as is also the case in a specimen 

 figured by Mr. Wellburn, in which, however, the body seems of somewhat deeper 

 proportions. The scales are over most of the body higher than broad, but behind the 

 dorsal fin they become more equilateral and obliquely rhomboidal. The anterior covered 

 firea is rather narrow ; the sculpture of the exposed part is j)eculiar, and different from 

 that in any other Carboniferous fish with which I am acquainted. Taking one of the 

 flank scales (fig. 9), its external glittering surface is ornamented first by a narrow band 

 of strise running [)arallel with the anterior margin, while behind these and over the 

 greater part of the surface the sculpture consists of delicate wavy, branching ridges, 

 passing in an antero-posterior direction, and ending on denticulations of the hinder 

 margin ; on tlie anterior scales it must also be noticed that these ridges and furrows do 

 not run parallel with each other, but, as is well shown in fig. 9, tend to converge in two 

 or three groups. This ornament becomes less marked in the scales behind the dorsal fin, 

 the vertical strise disappearing, and only a few punctures and irregular horizontal furrows 

 remaining, as seen in fig. 10 ; the denticulation of the posterior margin is, however, 

 preserved as far as the tail pedicle. 



Neither of the two original specimens shows the pectoral fin ; it is partly exhibited in 

 the example figured by Mr. Wellburn, who states, however, that the character of the 

 rays is " too im])erfect for description." The ventral is well preserved in the specimen 

 re[)resented in PI. XVII, fig. 8; it is pretty large, and acuminate in shape. The dorsal 

 fin is opposite the interval between the ventral and anal; both dorsal and anal are triangu- 

 lar-acuminate in form, with delicate rays, which at first are somewhat distantly articulated, 

 the joints being ornamented by one or two longitudinal sulci. The caudal is wanting 

 in all the specimens known. 



Observations. — The form of the scales and the shape and position of the ventral, 

 dorsal, and anal fins induced me to class this little fish as an Elonichtliys, though 

 luifortunately the character of the dentition is unknown, the condition of the ruys of the 



