Vol. 5] 



Jordan. — The Fossil Fishes of California. 



121 



are fifteen to twenty of these small, blunt denticles in a cross- 

 series in the band. According to Dr. Merriam's observations, 

 these denticles are not true teeth but are in reality on the outer 

 surface of the bone, and all the bones of the skull are more or less 

 rough with similar denticles. 



Besides this part of the jaw, there are large pieces of bones 

 of the skull, each marked by radiating striae. Other fragments, 



F'ig. 16. Xenesthes velox Jordan. (Premaxillary bone.) Triassic of Shasta 

 region, California. Type specimen. 



not readily identifiable, occur in the same connection, among 

 others what seems to be a fragment of the dentary having teeth 

 like those of the premaxillary described above. This description 

 is taken from a drawing carefully made by Mr. Bagley, Dr. Mer- 

 riam's artist, and it is verified on the original specimen by Dr. 

 Merriam. 



These fragments seem to indicate a fish allied to Hypsicormus 

 and Protosphyrana, but the teeth in ProtospJtyrceiia are very 

 sharp, while in Hypsicormus the jaws are much shorter. In the 

 Ichthyodectince {Ichthyodectes, Gillicus, Xiphactinus = Por- 

 theus) the teeth are in a single row and on the whole the nearest 

 relations of Xenesthes seems to be with these genera. 



Family ACIPENSERIDiE. 

 Genus Acipenser Linnams. 



28. Acipenser medirostris Ayres ? 



A scale of sturgeon perhaps of this species was found in Quat- 

 ernary deposits of Potter Creek Cave by Dr. "William J. Sinclair. 



Family LEPTOLEPID^E ? 



29. Etringusscintillans Jordan, new genus and species. 



Head three and one-half in length of body to base of caudal ; 

 depth, three and two-fifths. Body compressed, herring-shaped, 



