in the Neighbourhood of Edinburgh. 209 



scales display, — a character which I have traced, though in a less 

 prevalent degree, in the scales of the recent crocodile. 



It is remarkable that M. Agassiz, from his observation on the 

 sauroid fish of Leeds, unites the character of certain large angu- 

 lar scales, which present a punctured appearance, with the charac- 

 ter displayed by certain bones of the head, which, in an isolated 

 state, possess very irregular forms, but which have a surface of 

 the same kind as that exhibited by the scales. To such bones 

 he refers all the elongated portions collected at Burdiehouse 

 possessing such a character ; and, in recommending that the 

 Royal Society of Edinburgh apply for a cast of the head of the 

 Megalichthys preserved in the Leeds Museum, he adds, — " You 

 will see in the largest of the Leeds specimens, many portions united 

 which are only found detached at Burdiehouse. The surface of 

 these bones is enamelled and punctured in the same manner as 

 in the larger scales of Burdiehouse, and this trait is again deve- 

 loped in the bones of the cranium, of the face, of the thoracic 

 cincture, and of the branchiostegal lamellae, exactly in the same 

 manner as is shewn in the plates of scales, as well as in all the 

 detached maxillary and thoracic bones found at Burdiehouse. 

 It can therefore no longer be doubted, that all these portions are 

 referable to the same animal." 



These remarks upon the scales of the Megalichthys form the 

 communication which I have received upon the subject from M. 

 Agassiz. 



A chemical estimate has been recently made of these relics in 

 reference to the scales of the Lepidosteus. 



The scales of the Lepidosteus, which struck me as being so 

 like those of the Burdiehouse animal, had not suggested any 

 particular observations of comparison ; their mutual similarity, 

 except perhaps in some few circumstances of form, being so evi- 

 dent. As far, however, as relates to analysis, a gentleman of 

 profound chemical knowledge, Mr Arthur Connell of Edin- 



VOL. XIII. part i. d d 



