THE GEOLOGIST. 



67 



from a half to one inch or more in length ; they are of a bright glossy 

 texture, and some of them curved and striated. 



It may, indeed it must be, difficult to describe these fossils in a way 

 at all satisfactory in a notice of this kind, and would seem to merit a 

 fuller description hereafter.^* It may, however, be remarked that the first 

 of the scales under notice appears of an elongated form, resembling in 

 shape a small leaf of about an inch in length by one-sixth or one-fourth 

 of an inch wide ; its markings are, however, very singular and 

 beautiful. The sketch of it herewith may tend to give some idea of its 



shape, but the general features and minute cellular structure are 

 wanting. I am led to suppose that this scale must be classed with the 

 Ganoids, although much thinner in its structure than scales of this 

 class generally are. ]\Iy reason for this conclusion is that it is not 

 serrated at the edges, a distinction which Professor Agassiz makes in 

 reference to fish scales of the Placoids. In fact, I find that nearly all 

 those which are found in my collection assimilate much more to the 

 forms and species of the old red sandstone formation, so far as I have 

 teen able to trace them in his voluminous work. 



The more my researches into this subject have extended, the more 

 incapable I appear to myself to do anything like justice in the elucida- 

 tion of the structure of the scales and other remains of these extinct 

 fish. In fact, it would appear to me to require more space and time 

 than I have already given to the subject^ fully to detail any one 

 specimen. So convinced do I feel of this fact, that I have almost 

 considered it advisable to begin de novo, or relinquish it altogether ; but 

 as my remarks, however desultory, may tend to aid some future 

 adventurer, and may serve as a pioneer or guide to those who reside 

 in the coal districts, I cannot relinquish the attempt ; and, having 

 entered on a somewhat new and untrodden path, future discoverers 

 wiU make ample allowance for the difficulties which at present I may 

 have to contend with. 



A more definite description, accompanied with woodcuts, will be supplemented 

 in a future number. 



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