FROM THE PHOSPHATE BEDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 249 



be the bone, corresponding with that existing in the living Devil-fish, Ceratoptera 

 vamjyirus, at the root of the tail and supporting a minute spine, the rudiment 

 of the formidable barbed spines of the Sting-rays. Compared with the bone of 

 the living Devil-fish of our southern coast, as represented in figures 2, 3, Plate 3, 

 of Prof Holmes' description of the American Devil-fish, published in the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Elliott Society for 1856, the fossil presents sufficient differences to 

 render it probable that it belongs to a distinct species. The fossil is about as 

 long, but nearly double the breadth and height of the bone in the recent fish, and 

 also presents other important differences. 



The fossil knob forms a cone with striated sides sloping from an elongated ridge. 

 The base is nearly flat and rugged, and has an irregular ovoid outline with the 

 narrower end directed posteriorly. 



The ridge of the summit is most prominent and obtuse in front, and it becomes 

 more acute and gradually slopes off posteriorly. A narrow somewhat interrupted 

 groove extends along its intermediate part. In front and at the sides narrow 

 ridges separated by furrows descend from the summit of the knob in a radiant 

 manner to the irregularly scalloped border of the^base. The front slope is some- 

 what defined from those of the sides by greater prominence of the surface. Pos- 

 teriorly a strong escarpment rises from the base of the bone into a thick, obtuse, 

 transverse ridge, nearly on a level with the posterior end of the summit of the 

 knob. The transverse ridge having offsets converging from the ends to the sides 

 of the knob, incloses a transverse groove. The position of attachment of a rudi- 

 mental spine, if such existed, is not obvious. 



The length of the base of the fossil is 3| inches, the breadth 2 inches; the 

 height of the summit at its fore part from a level, 1| inches. 



Supposing the fossil to indicate an extinct and previously unknown species, I 

 have proposed for it the name heading this article. 



GRYPHODOBATIS.* 



Gryphodobatis uncus. 



Figures 8 and 9 of Plate xxxiv. represent a tooth, twice the natural size, from 

 the Ashley phosphate beds, which may be the symphysial tooth of a Shark, or 

 perhaps the tooth of a Ray. The crown is a narrow curved cone with a laterally 

 expanded base, and twice the length on its external face that it is on the inner 

 face. The point curves inward -and posteriorly. The outline of the base in front 



* Contracted from Gryphodontobatis. 



