WELLBURN : ON THE GENUS MEGALICHTHYS, AGASSIZ. 
53 
It is very unfortunate that Agassiz made the Leeds fish his 
type, as undoubtedly the name Megalichthys was suggested to 
him by the great size of the Burdiehouse remains, for which in 
1840"^ Prof. Owen instituted the genus Rhizodus. 
Systematic Position. — Agassiz classed Megalichthys in his 
heterogeneous group of " Sauroides.'"t 
Sir P. Edgertonj next proposed its inclusion in the family 
Sauroidei-dipterini [Sauroides-dijyteriens of Agassiz) ; its position 
in the Saurio - dij)terini was also indicated by Pander § and 
Huxley 1 1 on account of the close relationship of its head bones, 
tfec, to those of Osteolepis, though they both seemed to hesitate 
for want of knowledge of the conformation and position of the 
fins. 
In 1861 Prof. Young, in Dec. X. Geol. Survey, mentioned 
specimens in the Jermyn Street Museum, showing the form of 
fins, but unfortunately gave no description or figures. 
In 1875 Mr. J. Ward, F.G.S. (Fossil Fish of Xorth Stafi'ord- 
shire Coalfields), classed Megalichthys in this same family (Saurio- 
dipterini), and also stated that the pectoral fin is lobate. 
Dr. R. H. Traquair, F.R.S., in a paper read before the 
Royal Physical Society, Edinburgh, on Feb. 20th, 1894, says 
that there can be no doubt that the true position of Megcdichthys 
is in the family Saurio-diiiterini as defined by Pander, Huxley, 
and others. In every matter of " Family " importance its struc- 
ture closely conforms to that of Osteolepis. 
In 1890 Mr. J. Ward, F.G.S., in his "Geology of the North 
Staffordshire Coalfields," classifies it in the same family; but in 
1891 Mr. A. Smith Woodward, F.G.S., in vol. ii. of his Catalogue 
Fos. Fishes in the British Museum, places the genus Megalichthys 
* Odontography, 1840, p. 75. 
tPoissons Foss., Vol. II., Pt. II., p. 152. 
% Morris's Catalogue Brit. Fossils. 
§ Die Saurodipterinew, &c., devon Syst., p. 5. 
I! Dec. Geol. Survey X., 1861, p. 12. 
