10 



BRITISH FOSSILS. 



" The anal fin is constructed like the preceding. 



"The broad caudal fin is distinguished from that of the preceding 

 species by a greater number of rays, and especially by many series of 

 small spines on the outer side of the rays, as fig. 17 shows. In this 

 species also the stomach with its smooth coat is visible." 



Another species of Coelacanthus, from the Kupferschiefer of 

 Richelsdorf, is described by Count Miinster, at p. 49 of the same 

 part of his "Beitrage," under the name of Ccelacanthus HassicB, 

 Though only a damaged skeleton without scales, it agrees closely, 

 in general form as well as in its essential details, with Ccelacanthus 

 striolaris. 



The teeth are not recognizable. A few large scales lie scattered 

 about. They are very large, but so thin that their proper form is 

 not clearly distinguishable. However, they are all rounded off, 

 smooth, raised from the exterior towards the middle, and cor- 

 respondingly depressed below. 



The anterior dorsal fin possesses ten very long, strong, simple 

 rays, which are somewhat crenulated on the outer side, and jointed 

 towards their end. The second dorsal fin has much finer articulated 

 rays. The great ventral fin has long laterally crenulated rays ; 

 the vertebral column is unossified ; the spinous processes of the 

 vertebrse are only to be seen distinctly on the dorsal side of the 

 vertebral column, and increase in size towards the tail. 



It is clear from these descriptions that Count Miinster was the 

 first to indicate and define most of the great features of the 

 organization of the Coelacanthines, viz., the unossified vertebral 

 column ; the absent ribs ; the shelly-walled internal organ, " like 

 ihsit Macropoma" \ the well-ossified head; the two dorsal fins; and 

 the remarkable tail, with the singular characters of the fin rays. 



Professor Agassiz first published his views respecting the 

 Coelacanths in 1843, when the second part of the second volume of 

 the " Recherches sur les Poissons Fossiles " appeared. 



In treating of the Family of the Coelacanths," he writes, at 

 p. 168 of this work, as follows: 



" The Family of the Ccelacanths. 



" I unite in this family many genera of an altogether peculiar phy- 

 siognomy, but with whose true affinities I am, as yet, only very im- 

 perfectly acquainted. A remarkable peculiarity which has struck me in 

 most of these fish, is the circumstance that their bones, and notably their 

 fin rays, are all hoUow internally, a peculiarity which is not met with 

 in other ganoids, and which is the origin of the name " Coelacanth " which 

 has been conferred on the family. This character is especially striking 

 in the true genus Ccelacanthus. To this singular structure of the bones 

 is added another more apparent and more external character, viz., the 

 form and disposition of the fins, and the mode of articulation of the rays ; 

 and, in the first place, most of the rays are stiff, or only articulated at 

 their ends. Their combination with the apophyses [neural arches and 

 spines] and inter-apophysial [inter-spinous] bones, is very singular, 



