NKW ANI) LITTLE KNOWN PALEOZOIC 
TIm- limiifliial ii|.|Mir.itUH of basilijal and a series of lateral pieces 
wliirh the eeniKiliyal, and three or four ceratobrauchials, according as we 
lejfnnl III*- fin.! hitenil element as mandible or ceratoliyal. I wdll iirovisionally as- 
sume lli«l ill*- hmnchial u|»|mratus includes a ceratohj al and three ceratobranchials. 
The tvmlohyal is single, and is compressed. The ceratobranchials are 
ralher *leml*-r. The Imsihyal is ina.x.xive, has a single truncate surface, and resem- 
hle» miiim-m lint that of l‘oiyplcrus, but is larger relatively to the other elements. 
TIm- iMsibranrliial is hifurrnte |K»steriorly ; whether deeply or shallowly depending on 
the iiili'r|m-tnlion we adopt of two fissures which cross each branch sjunmetrically 
■ •hort ilisinnee |s»ierior t«» the f<»rk. If these are suture.s, the elements distad to 
them an- ill*- (nssiiiinil) tliinl ceratobranchials. The.se elements ai’e flat as in the 
nim’s|M>ii<ling |mrls of Potypiffus. 
The iN*iil|iliin- of the su|H*rior surfaces consists of minute tubercles of enamel. 
The n-M'iiihhinee of tin- *'orres|Kin(ling part.s of this skull to that of Polypterus, 
•iigP'sl* lliiil it is a nieiiilM-r of the su|iei-order Crossopterygia. This is seen in all 
the isiiiil* nlMi\e desiTiU-d. The base of the .skull is widely different from that of 
which I dewrilH-d in 1S83,‘ and i.s one which is characteristic of 
iiKHh’ni fiiilic* It n-inains an unsolved problem whether all Rhipidoptervgian fishes 
••xhiliil tin- sinieiim' mt u in Megalichthys. The basal elements in Spcrmatodos 
differ rroiii those of PtdypUrus in the absence of the lateral processes of the latter, 
which siniiil.ile rcverlisl hnsiptcry'goids ; and in the much le.ss production of thebasi- 
iavi|Nial «-oiyhis The characters of the basihyal bone, the parasphenoid teeth, 
and the rmiiial •s'ldpliire have «*«uisiderable msemblance in the tAvo forms. 
i h.,0 .S/Vr//— The gt-m-ral sliajH* of the head is broad and Hat. The occipital 
eoiylii. I. circular in ..inline. The parasphenoid tooth-patch has an elliptic posterior 
'"»• inea.smv from 4 to -.3 millimeter in dia- 
iiM-t-r III.- parasph.'iioi.l is o-o times as long „.s wide at the middle. There are 
two nm. .,r uvih. hut whether they are on different bones or on a single 
Tit “* tli^^played on the superior surface 
11 " I''"-- '■•■‘Pifo™., with acumi- 
lu.A ir'" 'I'lwt ata.Kl four i„ a apace of five milli- 
U 1 ^1 I T , '"-A-' a millhaetet in .liametcr. In the 
1-Mv l; n -igl-' teetl.. The cranial sculpture is 
!•«, iim,, il .1, .. i 1 - n «il lection of minute pustules. The 
HI in till. ltilM.rclf Tl V'l " Out enamel is lost there remains a 
1... 11. ■ rlllinri! "" -‘-''-I-' 
This face is not di- 
With one Uhih siih- lint hi,.] the .tT bichir. It is a transverse oval 
■v™-. ..... I Ji: I: becomes 
