24 



BRITISH FOSSILS. 



and is thus further back in proportion ; the depth of the body at 

 this point is 0*5 in. 



The cranial impression is marked by deep and irregularly dis- 

 posed lines, the correspondence of which with the probable out- 

 line of the cranial and facial bones is not apparent. Besides 

 and between these markings the impression of the skull presents 

 traces of a minutely granular, or lineated, sculpture. 



The anterior dorsal fin (D) is 0*5 in. long, but only eight or nine 

 of its fin rays are preserved, and there is no trace of the inter- 

 spinous bone. There is an interval of 0*7 in. between the bases 

 of the anterior and posterior dorsal fins, and the latter {D^) exhibits 

 13 or 14 long fin rays, with one or two short ones in front ; the 

 whole fin is 0*4 in. long. 



The impressions of both bones of the pectoral arch are dis- 

 cernible, and the confused fin rays of apparently both pectoral 

 fins (P). Each fin was about 1*5 in. long. About 37 neural arches 

 may be counted, those nearest the head being smallest. There 

 are no dorso-abdominal ribs, and the subventral bones begin nearly 

 opposite the 25th neural arch. No ventral fins, nor any part of 

 the caudal, are visible, in consequence of the breaking away of the 

 matrix in their region. 



No, 2. The specimen represented in PI. V., fig. 7. 



This is very like the preceding, but in some respects it is more 

 complete. The extreme length is 3*6 in. The length of the 

 head is about 0"85 in., unless the anterior end of the snout is 

 absent. The head presents longitudinal and oblique groovings 

 similar in their general character to those of the foregoing ex- 

 ample : and, as in the latter, there is a rounded depression, like an 

 orbit, situated at the junction of the posterior and the anterior 

 three-fourths of the length of the head. Here and there, indications 

 of a granular and lineated sculpture are visible. The impressions of 

 the bones of the pectoral arch are well seen ; they appear not to have 

 been so rounded and expanded above as in the other Coelacanths. 



Twenty-five dorsal abdominal neural arches, unaccompanied by 

 ribs, can be counted (there were probably several more) before the 

 series of subvertebral bones begin, on the under side of the space 

 occupied by the notochord. 



The front edge of the anterior dorsal fin (-D) is 0*6 in. from the 

 posterior end of the head. At least ten rays can be counted in it, 

 but its distal end being hidden under matrix, its precise length 

 cannot be ascertained. An interval of 0*6 in. separates the bases of 

 the two dorsals, and so much of the second {D^) as is visible, shows 

 it to have been, as in the preceding specimen, stouter than the first 

 dorsal. Thirty-seven neural arches can be counted in front of the 

 point of commencement of the upper lobe of the caudal fin (C), the 

 impression of which shows it to have had the ordinary Coelacanth 

 structure. The anal and ventral fins are not visible. Both pec- 

 torals (P) are seen, the right nearly in place. Its rays are very 

 delicate and nearly 0*7 in. long if traced to their extreme ends. 

 No trace of the pelvic bones, or interspinous bones, is visible. 



