R. Ether läge, Jun. — Contributions to Pahvontology. 307 
Pit. Kinniel. near B’oness. — Collection of the Geological Survey of 
Scotland, collected by Mr. James Bennie. 
Genus Oracanthus, Agassiz. 
Oracanthus Millen, Agassiz. Plate XIII. Figs 4-6. 
0. Milleri, Ag. j Rech. Poissons Foss. vol. iii. (1833-34), p. 13, Atlas iii. t. 3, f. 1-4. 
„ „ H‘Coy, Brit. Pal. Foss., p. 634. 
Spine. — Four-sided, more or less laterally flattened, tapering, hollow 
nearly to the apex, substance thin. Apex where broken = 10 lines 
by 44 lines; base = 2 inches 2 lines by 1 inch (about). Section of 
the base transversely oval ; section of the apex oval, wider at one 
end than the other ;olid. Anterior end (?) narrower than the 
posterior; posterior end (?) flattened, at right angles to the sides. 
Canal large, occupying the whole of the internal portion of the 
ray, but. terminating towards the apex at the fractured point. Sur- 
face covered with conical, fluted tubercules, arranged singly in 
undulating transverse ridges or becoming laterally confluent ; 
apices of the tubercules obtusely pointed. On one of the larger 
or lateral faces the rows are almost horizontal, or only slightly 
oblique; but on the other they are much more so, the obliquity 
being considerably increased on the smaller ends. The tubercules 
increase slightly in size down the spine from the apex towards 
the base, and their apices are, if anything, inclined a little upwards 
towards the former ; on the flattened posterior (?) end they are 
decidedly larger than on any other part of the spine. The confluent 
portions of the ridges are of less height than the tubercules them- 
selves. Flattened, or a little concave, striate, or striato-punctate 
spaces separate the transverse ridges. 
Obs. — The protean character of surface ornamentation, proportions, 
and distortion often found in this spine are ascribed by Prof. M‘Coy l 
to the thin character of its substance, and in consequence no two 
descriptions will be found alike. M‘Coy united Agassiz’s described 
form 0. Milleri with the undescribed O. confluens,- and doubtless 
with justice. The above description is that of the very liandsome 
specimen (Figs. 4-6) from the Cabinet of Mr. A. Patton, E. Kilbride, 
and which appears to be 0. Milleri (+0. confluens), as described by 
Prof. M‘Coy. Dr. Traquair was kind enough to examine a specimen 
bearing the name 0. confluens, in the Cabinet of the Earl of 
Enniskillen, and informs me, that, so far as he can recollect, 
without actunl comparison, Mr. Patton’s fine specimen bears a great 
resemblance to it. The spine appears to be qirite in its normal 
form, there are no signs of crushing or distortion. The free, or con- 
fluent form of the tubercules, is not specially confined to any one 
part of the spine. 
Loc. and Horizon. — Obtained by Mr. A. Patton from sliale two feet 
and a half above the Calderwood Cement Stone, Lower Carboniferous 
Limestone Group, in a quarry at the Upper Gliebe, East Kilbride, 
Lanarkshire. 
1 Loc. cit. supra. 
2 Loc cit. suprä , p. 177. 
