VERTEBRATE PALAEONTOLOGY IN 1908 469. 



Measures of Ohio, showing evident signs of relationship with 

 amphibians, but more probably a cotylosaurian reptile, and if so 

 undoubtedly the most ancient member of the class at present 

 known. As regards the former point, Dr. Williston remarks 

 that if the parasphenoid shows marked signs of reduction in 

 Sauravus and fsodectes, we must regard those genera as reptiles,, 

 even though they retain paired occipital condyles ; if, on the 

 other hand, the parasphenoid be fully developed, they must be 

 classed among the microsaurian amphibians. In both genera 

 the number of the phalanges is 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, as in rhyncho- 

 cephalians and lizards. 



On page 139 of the volume already cited Dr. Williston takes 

 the skeleton of another very primitive reptile, Labidosaurus 

 incisivus, from the Permian of Texas, as the text of an elaborate 

 dissertation on the affinities and structure of the Cotylosauria,. 

 of which group he gives a full definition. His figure shows the 

 skull of Labidosaurus to be roofed over in the labyrinthodont 

 style ; and the author regards the genus as related to both the 

 Scots Telerpeton and the South African Procolophon — genera 

 which have been widely sundered by other writers. The skeleton 

 of a second species of the same genus, Labidosaurus humatus, is 

 described by Mr. Broili in the Zeits. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. lx. 

 p. 63. 



In regard to Amphibia, the only paper of any importance 

 appears to be one by Mr. Moodie : (Journ. Morpkol., vol. ix.. 

 p. in), on the lateral line system of the stegocephalians, in 

 which it generally occurs in the form of a " lyra " on the skull. 

 In the Branchiosauria, however, it forms a line on each side of 

 the tail, as in the modern Necturus ; while in the Aistopoda it 

 is absent. The maximum development occurs in the stereo- 

 spondyli, in which the canals are the smoothest ; this being 

 a sign of age and also of specialisation. Apart from certain 

 differences, some of these head-canals can be homologised with 

 those of fishes like Amia. Definite names are given to the 

 constituents of the " lyra." Finally, it is stated that the bone 

 originally named squamosal in stegocephalians is really that 

 element and not the supratemporal. 



In the class of fishes reference may first of all be made to 

 papers of a faunistic type, one of which — on the Cretaceous fish- 

 fauna of Brazil — was contributed by Dr. Smith Woodward to 

 the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society (vol. lxiv. p. 358),, 



