BJilTISn ASSOCIATIOK MEETITfG AT NEWCASTLE. 
393 
to be a Discina. In the shale it is always more or less scattered, but in 
the ironstone it is so abundant in certain zones as to cover the whole of 
the surface. Associated with this fossil, both in the shale and the iron- 
stone, are specimens of Beyrichia arcuata, and in the ironstone alone a 
few obscure vegetable remains. 
About 100 fathoms below the horizon of the preceding fossils another 
zone of fish-remains occurs, and in the intermediate space more than one 
band of Anthracosia and Anthracomya. The stratum that chiefly 3'ieMed 
the fish-remains was passed through in sinking the E-yhope Collier}^ near 
Sunderland, and it consists of highly-carbonaceous black shale with inter- 
calations of coal, or, as the miners term it, " blackstone and coal-pipes 
mixed." Immediately over, it is a 3-inch seam of splint-coal. From this 
bed the authors have taken the finely-enamelled scales of MegaUcldhys 
H'lhherti, and others usually referred to Holoptychius, as well as such as 
evidently belong to species of Pala?oniscus or Amblypterus ; also sauroid 
teeth of various sizes, the larger of which appear to belong to Megaliclithys 
or Khizodus, and the teeth of Diplodus c/ihhosus. Along with these oc- 
curred various detached bones and coprolites ; and on one horizon great 
numbers of Anthracomya were associated, and with them two species of 
Entomostraca, — Cytherojo.sis Scotoburdigalensis and a form yet uudescribed. 
Ilemains of plants, too, were not uncommon in this bed. Immediately 
overlying the splint-coal is another stratum of black shale, 4 feet 2 inches 
thick, and this is overlaid by grey shale to the thickness of 36 feet. In 
these beds the remains of fish were also found rarely, and with them, to- 
wards their base, were also met with specimens of Lingula mytiloidea 
(Syn. Credneri), examples of which we believe we also got from the black- 
stone underlying the splint-coal. 
The next horizon at va liich the remains of fish have been noticed is about 
120 fathoms below the one just mentioned, in a thin bed of black shale or 
" stone " that rests on the top of the Low Main Coal, at Newsham, about 
10 miles north-east of Newcastle. The remains would appear to be far 
more abundant on this horizon than on any hitherto discovered ; and there 
has been obtained from the black shale that marks it, one of the finest 
series of carboniferous fish-remains that perhaps exist in the north of 
England. These fossils consist of scales, spines, jaws, teeth, and bones, 
the most important of which we notice below. Amongst the most in- 
teresting are some large spines of Placoideans. The most common of these 
is the G-yracanthus tuherculatus, of Agassiz. Perfect examples of this 
spine measure 15| inches in length and 6^- inches in circumference. It is 
a notable feature in them that they are nearly always much worn at the 
point, as though they had been subjected to considerable wear and tear. 
It should also be observed that all these spines are a little out of true 
symmetry ; that is, they are slightly bent to one side. The lateral deflec- 
tion, moreover, is not always in one direction in difl'erent spines, but some- 
times to the right and sometimes to the left. It has hence been suggested 
by Mr. Albany Hancock that the spines may not have been dorsal ones, 
as usually sup^^osed, but jmired spines, that were probably placed in front 
of the pectoral fins. Specimens of another spine have occurred, somewhat 
resembling G. tuber culostis, but diflering from that species in having the 
concave border denticulated and bounded on each side by a plain or un- 
tuberculated area, as well as in being of smaller size. The authors have 
also found specimens of a large spine that appears to be identical with the 
G. formosus of Agassiz. Also examples of an Orthacanthus, about 12 
inches long, and of a Pleurocanthus, 9 inches in length, and of another 
that seems referable to Leptacanthus. Besides these, there have been 
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