ESPECIALLY MYCTOPHOIDS 127 
Branchiostegal rays at least 15 in number. Vertebrae between 40 and 46. Pelvic 
fins abdominal, equal in size to the pectorals. Epineurals on the first 30 vertebrae. 
Complete covering of minute scales, enlarged along the lateral line. 
Type SPECIES. AHalec sternbergi Agassiz. 
Remarks. The family Halecidae was originally erected, as the name implies, to 
include the ‘ herring-like ’ forms, the clupeoids and the salmonoids. The grouping 
together with the familial name was dropped later on, although used by Pictet 
(1850) and Davis (1887). The family is re-erected but only to contain three genera. 
Of the genus Halec, two species are considered, Halec eupterygius, preserved ‘ in 
the round ’, and Halec haueri which is always laterally flattened. 
Halec eupterygius (Dixon) 
(Text-figs. 56-62) 
1837 Osmeroides lewesiensis Agassiz, 5 ; 1: pl. 60b, figs. 3, 4 (evvore). 
1850 Pomognathus eupterygius Dixon : 367, pl. 35, figs. 6, 7. 
1888a Pomognathus eupterygius Dixon ; Woodward : 318. 
1901 Halec eupterygius (Dixon) ; Woodward : 213. 
1902 Halec eupterygius (Dixon) ; Woodward : 50, pl. 13, text-fig. 11. 
DiaGnosis (emended). Halec species reaching approximately 31 cm. in standard 
length. Length of the head with the opercular apparatus exceeds the depth of the 
trunk, and is contained four times in the length from the pectoral arch to the base of 
the caudal fin. Vertebrae 45 in number, at least 20 and possibly 22 being caudal. 
Dorsal fin triangular, with 12 rays, first rays stout and ornamented ; anal fin small 
and remote. 
Hototyrr. Imperfect fish in the Brighton Museum from the Turonian of south- 
east England. 
MATERIAL. Specimens in the B.M.N.H., listed by Woodward (1go1 : 213-218), 
totalling some 30 specimens. Neurocranial description obtained from specimen 
numbers P.36237, P.4289, P.10920, and 43392 all of which were prepared in acetic 
acid. The specimens are from the Turonian and Senonian stages of south-east 
England. 
DESCRIPTION. Neurocranium. The neurocranium is shown in dorsal, ventral, 
lateral and posterior views in Text-figures 56-59. The cranial roof is flattened and 
widest at the hind border of the orbit between the sphenotics. The orbital region is 
large and the parasphenoid is slightly curved below it. The major portion of the 
roof is formed from the frontals which extend back almost to the occipital border, and 
meet in the mid-line in a practically straight suture. Postero-laterally a small V- 
shaped indentation of the frontal marks the anterior limit of the post-temporal fossa. 
The frontal does not extend into the floor of the post-temporal fossa. Laterally the 
frontal overlaps the dorso-medial surface of the sphenotic, but the major part of the 
sphenotic still projects laterally from beneath it. The dorsal surface of the frontal 
is ornamented with finely tuberculated ridges radiating from the centre of ossifica- 
tion. This ornamentation is absent from the anterior and medial regions of the 
