60 
Jiecordi of the Geological Survey of Itidia . 
[vOL. xnx. 
tooth this surface is markedly concave. Owing to the difficulty of seeing the 
teeth in the jaw of D. hystrix, I could not institute any closer comparison. 
I have no opportunity of comparing the teeth of the three other living species 
with the fossil. 
Of the fossil Diodons, D. tonuispinus, from the Eocene of Monte Bolca, is a 
small species,' while our fossil is a large one. B. scillis,'^ from the Tertiaries 
of Southern Italy, seems to have the edges of the plates of the teeth crenulated. 
The teeth of D. erinaceus " seem to he unknown. The teeth of D. vetus, from 
America," seem to have had triangular plates. A Biodon has been mentioned hy 
Professor L. Adams ® as occurring in the Miocene of Malta, hut has not heen 
specifically named. 
Although I cannot he certain of the specific distinctness of the Ramri fossil 
tooth, I yet think, that as it seems to belong to a distinct species from the species 
now living in the Indian Ocean, and as it is very difficult to refer to specimens 
without distinct names, I shall do well if I provisionally call the fossil Biodon 
foleyi, after the discoverer of the Ramri specimen. 
On page 35 of the 3rd part of the 1st volume of the IVth series of the 
“ Palfeontologia Indica,” the Ramri tooth is referred to as of cretaceous age. 
The occurrence of the fossil Diodon in the Eocenes around the Bay of Bengal, 
and the existence there of a living species, would seem to indicate that the 
genus has inhabited the Indian Ocean continuously since the Eocene. 
Capitodtjs. 
The genus Capitodus was made hy Count Munster “ for the reception of 
certain jaws and teeth of fishes from the Miocene of the Vienna basin. Those 
fishes were furnished with palatal, and peculiarly flattened incisor teeth. Count 
Miinster classed them among the Ganoids; hut M. Agassiz ’’ considered that they 
belonged to the Sparoid Teleosteans (Breams and Sea-Breams), which seems to 
be the more probable view. Gctp)itodns truncatus has been subsec^uently desci ibed 
from the Miocene of upper Silesia.“ I am not aware that any new species of the 
genus has been recorded since the original five species described by Miinster. 
Some years ago, however, Mr. Wynne sent to the Indian Museum a fish-tooth 
from the beds overlying the nummulitic salt zone of Kohat, which by Dr. 
Feistmantel and myself has been determined to belong to the genus Capitodus. 
The tooth is one of the so-called incisor teeth, and has a broad, laterally expanded 
crown, the dentition of which is worn obliquely and concavely on the inner surface. 
The external surface is coated with hard shining enamel, and is convex laterally; 
the base of the crown is anchylosed to a bony pedicle, which must once 
> Pictet: “Trnite de Pal^ontologie,” Vol. II, p. 123. 
! Ibid. 
’ Ibid. 
* I.eUly : Pro. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, Vol. VII, p. 397. 
‘ Quar. Joni'. Geol. Soc., Vol. XXXV, p. 529. 
‘ Beitrage zur Petrefacten kunde, Bayreuth, 1839—46. 
’ Broun : Index, Paleoiit. Nomenclator, p. 214. 
• Uoemer : “ Geologie von Oherschlesieu,” Breslau, 18/0, pi. XL\ 111, fig. 4. 
