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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 6

Pristidæ

Pristidæ.

The snout is produced into an exceedingly long, flat lamina, armed with a series of strong teeth along each edge (saw).*

Pristis pectinatus. North coast.

* The endoskeleton of the saw consists of three, sometimes five, rarely four, hollow subcylindrical tubes, tapering towards the end, incrusted with osseous deposit, which has a granular appearance, and is perforated by small foramina. These tubes are the rostral processes of the cranial cartilage as they are observed in nearly all Rays, though shorter and much less developed. It is very difficult to remove them out of the saw in their integrity. However, one of these bodies, which is in the British Museum, became detached in an at present unexplained manner, and is perfectly intact. It was described by Dr. Gray under the name of "Myriosteon" (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, April 12), and remained a puzzle to zoologists until Prof. KÖlliker, during a recent visit to London, examined it microscopically, and arrived at the conclusion that it must be "part of the endoskeleton of a Plagiostome." After the nature of this specimen had been thus determined we discovered that it is one of the lateral tubes of the saw of Pristis, (Günther.)