30 Fossil Fi.s/n.s 



we must so often rely upon transatlantic naturalists for a foun- 

 dation on which to build our'labors. 



In the third volume of the American Journal of Science, 

 Professor Silliman has described a locality of ichthyolites at 

 Westfield, the western parish of Middletown, Conn., and also 

 states that a specimen from this place, which he sent to Brong- 

 niart, was recognized by the latter as a species of the Palceo- 

 thrissum of Blainville. In the sixth volume of the American 

 Journal, and also in the " Report upon the Geology of Massa- 

 chusetts," Professor Hitchcock has described the locality of 

 Sunderland, and has given figures of two or three species found 

 at this place, which he says probably belong to the genus Pa- 

 laothrismm. In neither of these notices arc we furnished with 

 any distinctive description of the fishes ; but the figures of Pro- 

 fessor Hitchcock serve to show that their originals arc referable 

 to two genera widely distinct. 



Dr. Dekay, some years since, read a paper before this so- 

 ciety, upon the fossil fishes of Westfield, in which he pointed out 

 the close affinity between the former and the existing Esox osscus, 

 or the Lepisdsteus of French authors. This paper has never 

 been published. 



Professor Agassizj well known for his valuable labours in this 

 department of natural science, has, in his great work now in 

 course of publication, described but two species of fossil fishes 

 from the United States, and these descriptions arc founded, in 

 part, upon the drawings of Professor Hitchcock, to which we 

 have alluded, and in part upon single specimens of each which 

 had found their way to Europe. The first of these is seen in 

 fig. 4G, plate 14, of Hitchcock's Report, and is referred by 

 Agassiz to his genus Palceonis'cus, under the name of P.fulUis, 

 comprehending in this genus, both the Pala-onisam and Fdr 

 laothrissum of Blainvilla. The other species described is seen 

 in figs. 45 and 48 of tin: same plate, and is designated as Eimj- 

 nolns tenuiceps. To this species I shall have occasion again to 

 refer. 



