PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
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fishes were of several kinds, all differing very widely from any of those described 
by Agassiz, but all of the Ganaoidean or Enamelled-scaled kinds. Mr. Goodsir 
read an elaborate anatomical description of the peculiarities of these fishes. In 
all of these the vertebral column ranged along to the extremity of the upper edge 
of the tail, so that this consisted partly of articulated bones, and the integuments 
partly of radiated fin. In this fossil fishes differed from all known recent species. 
In the Pike a few caudal vertebrae ranged along the upper margin of the tail. A 
fossil fish had been discovered in Caithness, and described by Mr. Murchison 
as having a divided dorsal fin ; these he, from this circumstance, designated 
Diopteris. Agassiz, however, was at first of opinion that the division of the fin 
was accidental, and might have been occasioned by the creature’s struggles in 
death. On this ground he placed it in the genus Catopteris. On coming to London 
and examining the specimen itself, however, he saw reason to change his opinion, 
and restored to it the designation of Diopteris , in which the dorsal fin had a true 
natural division. The genus Catopteris was now therefore abandoned by Agassiz. 
Curiously enough, in one of the specimens presented, this structure was such 
that it filled up the gap here occasioned, and must be characterized as a Catop- 
terous fish, thus restoring the supposed defective genus. Mr. Goodsir promised 
on some future occasion to give a more full and minute account of these fishes 
than at present. It has rarely, indeed, been our fortune to listen to what 
appeared to us a more clear, able, and minute paper than that of which, in the 
above, we have not even attempted an outline, but which was throughout 
marked by the sound sense, the laborious perseverance, minute and accurate 
anatomical knowledge, and unpresuming modesty by which its writer is so 
eminently characterised. 
Sir D. Brewster expressed the great gratification which he had derived from 
listening to the admirable paper of Mr. Goodsir. He thought Mr. G. depreciated 
the importance of his discovery by restoring the designation Catopteris , which 
had been applied to an abandoned species, as this would still be associated in the 
minds of philosophers with the former description of Agassiz. 
Mr. Goodsir said, the large dorsal fin was so eminently generic a character, 
that he saw no other name he could at present so well adopt. 
Dr. Briggs moved, that the thanks of the Society be tendered to Mr. Goodsir 
for his researches, which motion we beg to second, on behalf of the natural-historical 
public in general. 
Mr. George Buist, of Cupar, read a paper on the upheaved beaches which he 
had discovered to prevail all around the shores of Fife, from Wormitt Bay to 
Kinghorn, interrupted only where the destructible nature of the rock had per- 
mitted the sea once more “ to regain its own,” where they had been overblown 
by drift-sands, as at Tents-Muir and Pilmuir Links, or where the depth of the 
VOL. iv.—NO. XXVIII. 2 F 
