CCEL ACANTHUS ELEGANS. 



21 



anterior sub vertebral bones, A large single interspinous bone 

 supports the anterior dorsal fin, but the interspinous bone of the 

 second dorsal is concealed. 



The anal fin {A) is but obscurely indicated, but lies rather in 

 front of the anterior margin of the second dorsal. The left 

 ventral fin is in place, and is situated as in (7. lepturus. The strong 

 and broad bones of the pectoral arch are devoid of sculpture ex- 

 ternally, and in form resemble those of C. lepturus. 



The upper contours of the anterior and posterior regions of the 

 skull do not pass evenly into one another, but meet at an obtuse 

 angle. The operculum is large, extending from the roof of the 

 skull to near the angle of the jaw, and has the form of a triangle 

 with the base upwards. It is ornamented with fine ridges, which, 

 on the whole, radiate from its anterior superior angle. The struc- 

 ture of the skull in front of the operculum cannot be deciphered. 



The mandible is in place, though a good deal broken. So much 

 of its outer surface as is preserved exhibits the characteristic 

 sculpture. 



Minute conical teeth are visible at the anterior end of the snout, 

 and there is one in the palatine region, but these teeth are detached, 

 and but obscurely visible. 



No. 2. The specimen represented in PL V.^Jig, 2. 



In this example the tail, with the anal {A) and second dorsal (D^) 

 fins, are well displayed. Twelve fin rays, having the same arrange- 

 ment as in C. lepturus^ can be counted above and below, and there is 

 a medial scaly caudal prolongation, which, however, is not suffi- 

 ciently preserved to show the small fin rays which it doubtless 

 possessed. 



No. 3, The specimen represented in PL V.,Jig. 4. 



A much crushed head, showing the jugular plates and scales of 

 Coelacanthus elegans, and exhibiting three, or perhaps four, sharply 

 pointed conical teeth, connected to all appearance with the pre- 

 maxilla. The largest of these teeth is not more than 0*05 in. 

 long. The ornamentation of the jugular plates is like that in 

 C. lepturus. 



- III. Coelacanthus caudalis, Egerton (Plate V., fig. 5), 



Sir Phihp Egerton's excellent account of this species has 

 already been quoted at length, and I describe and figure the type 

 specimen anew, merely for the purpose of comparing it with the 

 Coelacanths already described, and of using it to supplement the 

 information derived from them. 



In fact, although the head of this specimen is much crushed, 

 the extreme end of the tail is absent, and the scales are wanting, 

 the skeleton of the trunk and fins has left the mark of its parts 

 in almost undisturbed relation to one another. 



