76 GANOID FISHES OF THE CARBONIFEROUS FORMATION. 



pectoral fin uncertain, and the bones of the head are as yet undescribed. As a member 

 of the genus it is especially distinguished by its peculiar scale-ornauient. 



Geological Position and Localities. — The original specimens, now in the Woodvvardian 

 Museum, Cambridge, are from the Dalemoor Rake Ironstone, Stanton, Derbyshire; 

 the one referred to above as having been described and figured by Mr. E. D. Wellburn, 

 of Sowerby Bridge, was obtained by him from the " Forty Yards ]Mine " at Little- 

 borough, Yorkshire. In both cases the horizon is that of the Lower Coal-measures. 



10. Elonichthys MULTisTRiATUS, Traquair. Plate XVIII, figs. 8 — II. 



Elonichthts MTJLTiSTRiATrs, Traquair. Proc. Eoy. Soc. Edinb., 1890, p. 390. 

 — — A. S. Woodward. Cat. Foss. Fishes Brit. Mus., 



1891, p. 500. 



Specijic Characters. — Scales not serrated posteriorly ; exposed area covered with fine, 

 very oblique branching and intercalating ridges ; flank scales considerably higher than 

 broad, nearly rectangular in shape ; articular spine and socket well developed ; keel on 

 under surface feeble or obsolete ; fin-rays striated. 



Description. — Only fragmentary remains of this interesting species have as yet been 

 found, the nearest approach to a complete fish being the specimen represented on 

 PI. XVIII, fig. 8, reduced to five sevenths of the natural size, as the original measures 

 nine inches in length. It is, however^ perfectly clear from the want of the greater part 

 of the head, the disproportionate size of the caudal extremity, the irregularity of the 

 ventral margin, and the state of complete jumbling up of the scales, that we have here to 

 <lo with a considerable amount of distortion, and that the fish must have been larger 

 when in life. Two other fragments, both distorted by shortening up, are in my 

 collection, one showing the anterior, the other the posterior part of the body, and both 

 seem to have belonged to larger individuals than the one figured. There are also three 

 pieces of ironstone showing disjointed scales. 



Nothing whatever can be made out regarding the osteology of the head in any of 

 the specimens with scales or fins in situ, but associated with disjointed scales which are 

 identifiable as belonging to the same species is a maxilla, and the impression of the 

 inner surface of the dentary bone of a mandible, both of which are typically palaeoniscoid 

 ill form. The former is represented in PI. XVIII, fig. 9, natural size, and shows traces 

 of striations running parallel with the upper and posterior borders, as is frequent in the 

 genus ElonicUlliys, the sculpture being better preserved along the anterior part of the 

 dentary margin, where the striae tend to become contorted and irregular. This margin 

 of the maxilla is set with conical incurved teeth, the points of which are covered up in 

 the excessively hard ironstone matrix. 



