ROOM V. GENERA OF FOSSIL FISHES IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 453 Lates. (L. notæus, L. gibbus.) Enoplosus. (E. pygopterus, Monte Bolca.) Labrax. (L. schizurus, on a small slab there are four perfect fishes. Homonotus. (H. dorsalis, Chalk.) Stenostomus. (S. pulchellus, Sussex chalk.) NOTE.-Under the PERCOIDS in this Case there is a Table of the succession of Pisciferous formations: the colours on the margins of each ticket in the Cases refer to this Index-Table. Sparnodus. (S. ovalis, and S. macropthalmus, from Monte Bolca.) Platax. (P. Woodwardii, chiefly teeth from the Crag.) Ephippus. (E. Bucklandi, Sheppey.) Naseus. (N. rectifrons, Monte Bolca.) Mugil. (M. princeps, Aix, in Provence.) Calamopleurus. (C. cylindricus, chalk of Brazil.) Callipteryx. (C. recticaudus.) Ductor. (D. leptosomus, Monte Bolca.) Lichia. (L. prisca, Monte Bolca.) Thynnus. (T. propterygius, Monte Bolca.) Orcynus. (O. elongatus, Monte Bolca.) Carangopsis. (C. dorsalis, Monte Bolca.) Gasteronemus. (G. rhombeus, Monte Bolca.) Cybium. (From the eocene clay, Isle of Sheppey.) Anenchelum. (A. Glarisianum, from Engi.) Palymphes. (Many very fine specimens in Engi slate.) Isurus. (I. macrurus, Glaris.) Palæorhyncum. (P. medium, in Engi slate.) WALL-CASE D.-(24, to 27.) Tetrapturus. (T. minor, London clay, Sheppey.) Cælorhyncus. (C. rectus.) Cladocyclus. (C. Lewesiensis, chalk of Lewes.) Sphyrænodus. (S. priscus, Bracklesham.) Pachyrhizodus. Saurodon. (S. Leanus, Chalk, Lewes.) Saurocephalus. (S. lanceolatus, from the chalk of Lewes.) Archæus. (A. Glarisianus.) Sphenolepis. (S. squamosseus, from Aix; S. Cuvieri, from Montmartre.) Istieus. (I. microcephalus.) Hypsodon. (H. Lewesiensis, from the chalk near Lewes, discovered in 1821.) Esox. (E. lepidotus, from Eningen; a fine series of specimens.) Leuciscus. (L. Hartmanni, from Steinheim; L. papyraceus, from the paper-coal of the Rhine.) Clupea. (C. Scheuchzeri, from the slate of Glaris.) Cobitis. (C. longiceps.) Acrognathus. (A. boops, chalk, Lewes, ante, p. 446.) Aulolepis. (A. typus, from the chalk, Lewes, ante, p. 447.) Lebias. (L. cephalotes.) Osmeroides. (O. Lewesiensis, and O. Mantelli, from Lewes.) Tomognathus. (From the Sussex chalk.) Anguilla. (A. brevicula, A. pachyura, from Eningen.) Rhodeus. (R. elongatus.) Acanthopsis. (A. angustus.) Mallotus. (M. villosus. The Angmarset, from the West Coast of Greenland.) Remains of Fishes of the PLACOID ORDER, viz. Teeth, Rays, Spines, Scales, &c. of Chimæroids, Squalidæ or Sharks, Hybodons, Cestracions, Pristides or Saw-fishes, and Rays. These are, for the most part, in the Table-Cases, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, of the Plan of Room V. ante, p. 410. CHIMEROIDS:-Ischyodus, Edaphodon, Ceratodus. SQUALIDE:-Carcharodon, Lamna, Otodus, Notidanus, Hybodus, Cla dodus. C'ESTRACIONS:--Strophodus, Acrodus, Orodus, Ptychodus, Psammodus, Ctenodus, Ctenoptychius, Cochliodus. ICHTHYODORULITES.-Rays or spines of fins, dorsal or pectoral, belonging to Cestracions, Chimæroids, and other genera of the Shark family :Spinacanthus, Oracanthus, Ctenacanthus, Asteracanthus, Nemacanthus, Gyracanthus, Leptacanthus, Ptychacanthus. PRISTIDES, or Saw-fish :-Pristis. RAYS:-Etobatis, Miliobates.1 * *To MR. DAVIES, the intelligent Assistant, who has charge of this collection, I am much indebted for his obliging attention during my examination of its contents. A list of the principal British localities of Fossil Fishes is given in "The Medals of Creation," p. 679. CHAPTER V.-PART IV. FOSSIL MAMMALIA. RHINOCEROS-IRISH ELK-SIVATHERIUM. FOSSIL RHINOCEROS.-Wall-case E.-With the fossil remains of Ruminants described in a previous chapter (ante, p. 389), those of the Rhinoceros are very commonly associated. The collection in this Case consists of crania, jaws, many fine series of the teeth, and other parts of the skeleton, of two species of this genus of pachyderms; they are chiefly from the post-tertiary fresh-water deposits in the valley of the Thames. There are also two or three crania of Rhinoceros from the frozen soil of Siberia. The fossil remains of one species of this genus (R. tichorinus), are very abundant all over Europe in the ancient alluvial deposits, and in the bone-caves. The most extraordinary fact relating to the fossil Rhinoceros, is the discovery of the entire carcass in frozen sand, on the banks of the Wilaji in Siberia. The head was large, and sustained two very long horns; there were no incisor teeth; the skin had the appearance of leather, and was thinly covered with short hairs; it was not loose and in large folds as in the living species.1 The fossils in this collection belong to the Rhinoceros tichorinus,2 and R. leptorhinus.3 The former is characterised by the prolongation of the nasal bones in front of the nose, and their union with the incisives: the ordinary cartilaginous septum which separates the nostrils being osseous almost to the extremity. The incisor teeth were either rudimentary or altogether absent. This animal somewhat resembled the two-horned Rhinoceros of the Cape; but the structure of the nose, jaws, teeth, and skin, distinguishes it. It is by far the most common fossil species, and must have anciently existed in immense numbers throughout Europe, and been adapted to inhabit more northern latitudes than the recent species. The Siberian fossils belong to this type. The other Rhinoceros of which there are remains in the Museum, is the R. leptorhinus, which is separated from that last described, not by the difference in the structure of the nostrils, as the name would seem to import, but by well-marked maxillary and dental characters; as demonstrated in "Brit. Fossil Mammalia," p. 356. FOSSIL ELK OF IRELAND, (Cervus megaceros.)-Plan No. 15.—The shell-marls of Ireland contain in abundance the bones of an animal which, like the Dodo, and the Moa, was once contemporary with the human species, but has long been extinct; the last individuals of the race were, in all probability, exterminated by the early Celtic tribes. The remains of this noble creature generally occur in the deposits of marl that 1 See "Wonders of Geology," pp. 152, 171. 2 "Rhinoceros fossile à narines cloisonnées," of Cuvier. 3 Rhinoceros, à narines non-cloisonnées et sans incisives," of Cuvier. underlie the peat-bogs, which are apparently, like those of Scotland, the sites of ancient lakes or bays. In Curragh great quantities of these bones were found within a small area; the skeletons appeared to be entire, the skull was elevated, and the antlers were thrown back on the shoulders, as if a herd of these Elks had sought refuge in the marshes, and been engulfed in the morass. This creature far exceeded in magnitude any living Elk or Deer. The skeleton of the largest individual is upwards of ten feet in height to the top of the skull, and the antlers are from nine to fourteen feet from one extremity to the other. The perfect skeleton before us renders a particular description unnecessary. The bones are generally well preserved, of a dark brown colour, with patches of blue phosphate of iron. In some instances they are in so fresh a condition, that the hollows of the long bones contain marrow, having the appearance of fresh suet. Bones and antlers occur at Walton, in Essex, associated with skeletons of Mammoths, or fossil Elephants,' and have recently been discovered by Mr. Mackie, imbedded with great numbers of the teeth, jaws, and detached bones of Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Bos, Hyena, &c., in a diluvial deposit at Folkstone. Remains of this majestic animal have been found collocated with ancient sepulchral urns, stone implements, and rude single-trunk canoes, in such manner as to leave no doubt that this now extinct species was coeval with the aborigines of these Islands. 2 SIVATHERIUM (S. giganteum). Wall-case F-Among the highly interesting mammalian remains from the Sewalik Hills, of which we shall treat more at large in the next chapter, are those of one of the most extraordinary extinct types of the Order Ruminantia hitherto discovered, the Sivatherium; of which there is a fine cranium, lower jaw and teeth, and bones of the extremities in the Case before us.3 The skull of this animal approaches in volume that of the Elephant; the neck was shorter and stronger than in the Giraffe; the posterior region of the skull extending from the orbits is greatly developed, and apparently formed cellular protuberances as in the Elephant. The face is short, and the nasal bones are remarkable for the manner in which they are prolonged into a pointed arch above the external nostrils, indicating a trunk or proboscis. The very inclined direction of the front of the face, in relation to the triturating surface of the teeth, imparts a physiognomy altogether peculiar. Two horns rise from the brow between the orbits, and diverge from each 1 "Wonders of Geology," p. 134. 2 See my "Lecture on the Remains of Man and Works of Art imbedded with remains of extinct animals." Delivered before the Archæological Institute of Great Britain, at the Oxford Meeting, June 1850. -Archæological Journal, for January, 1851. 3 The Sivatherium (so named from Siva, an Indian deity), was discovered and described by Dr. Falconer and Major Cautley. See a Memoir on the "Sivatherium giganteum, a new fossil ruminant genus, from the valley of the Markanda."-Journal of the Asiatic Society. other; and it is probable that the posterior protuberances of the forehead also supported a pair of short massive horns. The living Sivatherium must have resembled an immense Gnu or Antelope, with a short, thick head, and an elevated cranium crested with two pairs of horns; the front pair small, the hinder large (perhaps palmated), and set behind as in the Aurochs; it had small lateral eyes, great lips, and a nasal proboscis, an organ unknown in all living ruminants. The model of another species (S. Perimense), is deposited in the same Case. CAMELUS (C. Sivalensis). - Wallcase E.-Crania, jaws and teeth, of a species of Camel, from the tertiary deposits of the Sewalik Hills, are LIGN. 98. TEUM; FROM THE SUB-HIMALAYAS. (nat. size.) deposited on the upper shelves of this SKULL OF THE SIVATHERIUM GIGANCase; they are in a fine state of preservation. The original was nearly related to the existing species of Camels, but exceeded them by at least one-seventh in height.1 There are likewise remains of species of Giraffe, from the same locality, but I have not been able to obtain any precise information respecting them. CHAPTER V.-PART V. FOSSIL CEPHALOPODA. FOSSIL CEPHALOPODA.-Table-cases on the south side of Room V.-The six Table-cases on the right of the entrance from Room IV. are devoted to the fossil Cephalopoda, and contain an extensive collection of Ammonites, Nautili, and other shells of the mollusca of this order. The Cephalopoda are composed of a body which is either naked, as in the Sepia or Cuttle-fish, or enclosed in a shell, as in the Nautilus and Argonaut; with a distinct head, eyes as perfect as in the vertebrata, complicated organs of hearing, and a powerful masticatory apparatus, surrounded by arms or tentacula. Below this head there is a tube, which serves as a locomotive instrument to propel the animal backwards by the ejection of water which has served the purpose of respiration, and can be thrown out with considerable force by the contraction of the body. The fossil remains consist of the external shell, and the internal osselet of the Sepiada, and rarely of the body and arms, inkbag, mandibles, &c. as in some splendid examples from the Oxford Clay of Wiltshire, in this collection. 1 "Note on the fossil Camel of the Sewalik Hills."―Journal of the Asiatic Society. |