TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



ORDER ACANTHOPTERYGIA. 



Genus Sphyrjena. — Bl. 



The fossil jaw from the N. Jersey secondary referred 

 to above, as in possession of Dr. Dekay, who has not 

 yet published a description of it. 



Many years ago we received from Mr. A. Jessup, 

 a fine collection of fossil fishes in the slate from West- 

 field, Connecticut. 



Connected with the fossil fish of this locality, Prof. 

 Hitchcock in his recent work, " Report on the Geolo- 

 gy &c. of Massachusetts" has given a very interest- 

 ing chapter — we quote his observations for the benefit 

 of our foreign readers, who may not conveniently re- 

 fer to the original. " The remains of fish have been 

 found on bituminous shale, and on bituminous marlite, 

 in Middletown, Con., at Sunderland, Mass., and also in 

 West Springfield and Deerfield. Sunderland, how- 

 ever is the only spot where they can now be pro- 

 cured. The shale there forms the bank of the river 

 several feet high : but the Ichthyolites are most abund- 

 ant in the lower part of the bed, which corresponds 

 nearly with low water mark. I have dug out hun- 

 dreds of specimens at this spot, though perfect ones 

 are very rarely to be obtained. 



" On one layer of the rock, fifteen inches by three 

 feet, seven distinct impressions are visible. Indeed I 

 have not unfrequently met with one fish lying across 



