THE STATE GEOLOGIST. 93 



contour of the head, curvature of the dorsal and ventral margins 

 (within certain limits), and slight differences in the thickness 

 and obliquity of the squamation, will come to be regarded as 

 characters of minimum importance; and in the present instance, 

 absolutely valueless for discriminating between vS\ elegans, S. 

 modestus and S. lenticularis. In Plate XII we have refigured one 

 of Professor Newberry's originals. 



Semionotiis brauni (Newberry). 



1886. Palceoniscus latus, L,. P. Gratacap, Amer. Nat., vol. xx., p. 243, text- 

 fig, {err ore). 



1888. Ischypterus brauni, J. S. Newberry, Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sci., vol. vi., p. 

 127 (name only). 



1888. Ischypterus brauni, J. S. Newberry, Monogr. U. S. Geol. Surv., vol. xvi., 

 p. 43, pi. xii., Fig. 3, pi. xiii., Figs. I, 2. 



A small species, attaining a total length to the base of caudal 

 fin of about 10 cm., in which the length of the head and oper- 

 cular apparatus is contained in a little more than three times. 

 Cranial bones granulated. Fins small, with delicate fulcra and 

 rays ; dorsal and anal remote, the latter extending to the base 

 of the caudal. Scales rhomboidal or quadrangular, remarkably 

 uniform in size over the greater part of the trunk. Dorsal ridge- 

 scales small, anteriorly rounded, and terminating in a short, 

 pointed prolongation behind. 



This small and imperfectly known species occurs at a horizon 

 several thousand feet lower than that of Boonton, being limited 

 to the base of the Triassic system in New Jersey. The partic- 

 ulars of its occurrence are thus indicated by Newberry : "The 

 only locality from which fishes of the present species have been 

 obtained is Weehawken, N. J. Here, beneath the trap of the 

 Palisades, is a stratum of highly metamorphosed slate which was 

 once a bituminous shale, but which has been baked by the effu- 

 sion of the great mass of molten matter above it; the fishes are 

 found in this slate. In some layers it also contains great num- 

 bers of bivalve crustaceans (Bstheria), which would seem to 

 indicate that it was deposited in brackish water." 



