REMAINS IN THE COAL-FORMATION OF NOVA SCOTIA. 
647 
(Received March 8, 1882.) 
Note 1.—On Horny Scales and other Appendages of Carboniferous Amphibians. 
I have discussed these at some length in my ‘ Air-breathers of the Coal Period,’ 
and as few new facts occurred in the more recent explorations, I have merely adverted 
to them in the text. It has however been suggested to me that some more detailed 
reference to them would be desirable. 
I have referred to this kind of cuticular covering as being found in connexion with 
the bones of Hylonomus Lyelli and Dendrerpeton Acadianum and I). Oweni. It may 
have been present in other species, but of course was likely to be preserved only in 
rare instances. The examples figured in Plates 40 and 45 may serve to give an idea of 
the perfect manner in which it has sometimes retained its characters, though unfortu¬ 
nately, from the uneven and irregular surface of the deposits in the interior of erect 
trees, it is always folded and crushed, so that it does not retain its original form. 
It is to be observed that in the species referred to, the thorax and abdomen were 
protected with bony plates and scales. The horny scales and plates seem to have 
been confined to the upper parts. 
The horny scales and appendages are entirely different in appearance from the bony 
plates and scales. The latter are usually white or gray in colour, and present under 
the microscope true bony structures. The former are black, shining, and coaly in 
appearance, and are inseparable from the cuticle along with which they are preserved. 
The ordinary horny scales are semicircular, imbricated, or scattered sparsely over 
the surface of the skin. They are of different sizes, and the larger often show minute 
round pores, probably mucous or perspiratory pores. These scales are most con¬ 
spicuous toward the upper and anterior parts of the body. Elsewhere they often 
degenerate into microscopic tubercles implanted in the skin. Along the sides, and 
perhaps near the margin of the upper scaly portion of the skin, there are in some 
specimens larger angular scales, apparently free at the margins, and forming a sort of 
Vandyke edging. In front the skin projects into long pendant lappets, terminated by 
similar angular points, and covered with oval scales, not imbricated, and each having a 
pore in its centre. These appear to have been present both in Dendrerpeton and 
Hylonomus. In the latter, as stated in the text, there were on the back and shoulders 
thick ridge-like and conical tubercles, having their surfaces sculptured with furrows, 
and H. Lyelli has two rows of flat horny bristle-like processes forming frills or 
epaulettes. 
Portions of the scaly cuticle when carefully separated from the stone and mounted 
in balsam, are sometimes sufficiently thin to be studied as transparent objects. 
Viewed in this way, under a moderate power, the skin appears of a rich brown colour, 
and presents an areolar or cellular aspect, the scales appear dark brown, becoming 
MDCCCLXXX1I. 4 0 
