The interest ol‘ the colleetion now described, however, is not contincd 
to stratigraphical questions. As already remarked, it adds miicli to onr 
knowledge of purely jdiilosophical Paheiehthyology. 
In the first place, the eiidoskeleton of tlie lohatc pectoral lln of a 
CVelaeanth fish is discovered for the first time, and exhil)its a very striking 
dilVerenec from the corresponding lohate fin of the living Fohjptcrus. The 
Hieoretical ([uestions involved, however, can only l)c satisfactorily discussed 
when similar examph's of the lin in allied genera are known. 
Secondly, tlie long-looked- for evidence of the Acipenseroid nature of 
tlie pelvic fin-snpports in the Paheoniscidm, is at last supplied hy the heautifiil 
large example of Coccolepis auslralis. The axinl skeleton of the trunk is 
also hettcr displayed in this fish than in any Paheoniscid previously described. 
'fliirdly, there are tin* very remarkable examples of the degeneration of 
the scales in the caudal region of the two new genera of Semionotidm. Both 
in A'phnelepis and in AeUicoleph the normal S([uaniation terminates at a line 
connecting the origin of the dorsal and anal fins, the scales behind this line 
being extremely thin ; and in Aetheolepi>i it is ])roved that towards the end of 
the tail the scales become truly cycloidal. Here, ])rol)ably, is the ex])lanation 
of the absence of the s(juamation in th(5 caudal i-egion of sonu> well-known 
genera of Pycoiodont fishes [e.g., JiLesoduit, and I*iiCiiodiis) ; the noianal rhombic 
scales behind the origin of the median lins may be assumed to have passed 
through the stage represented by AetJieolepis and to have tinally disappeared. 
Lastly, the Talbragar collection is inter('sting on account of the 
exquisite state of ])reservation of much ol' the skeleton in the innumerable 
Leptolepida^. As shown by the drawings the axial skeleton of tln^ trunk is 
es))ecially well displayed, and the vertebral centra can In': obsei-vcd iii all 
stages of develo]mient. The specimens do not exhibit any features that can- 
not also be distinguished in examples of Ihe genus from the Enro])ean Lias 
and Lithographic Stone ; but the present study has added a few facts of 
importance which seem to have hitlierto ('sea])cd attention. 
In conclusion, we cannot but remark, as has often been done befoi’c, 
how p\irely accidental arc the discoveri('s by which Paheontology is most 
rjiriched. Tlielitth' local deposit on the Talbragar Liver adds more (vssential 
facts to our knowledge of durassic fishes than many a stratum that has been 
known and systematically worked for decad(‘s. AVe can onh" hope that many 
more eqiiall}^ fortunate discoveries will be mad(‘ as tin' (Jeological Survey of 
New South AVales progresses. 
