THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



JUNE, 1837. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. On the Structure of the Fossil Saurians. (From the 

 «* Palaeologica zur Geschichte der Erde und ihrer Geschopfe ; 

 von Hermann von Meyer. Frankfort, 1832.) Translated by 

 G. F. Richardson, Esq., Curator of the Sussex Royal Institu- 

 tution, and Mantellian Museum, Brighton. Communicated by 

 Gideon Mantell, Esq., LL.D. F.R.S. 



If we review those analogies which are found between 

 animals of the most varied kinds, and which appear to 

 be repeated in every class, we cannot be surprised to ob- 

 serve the existence of analogies between reptiles and other 

 classes of animals. The osteology of the reptiles (Amphibia) 

 is far more intricate and more difficult than that of the 

 Mammalia. Grew, Peter and Adrian Camper, Faujas, Spix, 

 Oken, Sommerring, Bojanus, Bourdel, Geoffroy, Cuvier, 

 Wagler, and others, have applied themselves to this subject. 

 Geoffroy * has developed, in particular, the osteology of the 

 crocodile in a distinguished manner. Alex. Brongniart f di- 

 vides the reptiles, according to their mode of respiration, into 

 four orders. Chelonians, Saurians, Ophidians, and Batra- 

 chians. Wagler J divides the Amphibia into eight orders, 

 Testudines, Crocodili, Lacertae, Serpentes, Argues, Caecilise, 

 Ranae, and Ichthyodi. Before Geoffroy had enjoyed the 

 opportunity of studying the Crocodiles more intimately, in 

 Egypt, they were reckoned among the Lacertae, from which 

 they were considered as distinguished only by their size. 

 Meerem names the order of Crocodiles Loricata ; and unites 

 with other Saurians the first family of the Ophidians, the 



* Mem. du Mus., x. s. 67. t. 3. s. 249. xii., s. 97. Ann. des Sci. Nat., 

 3. s. 245. 



T Alex. Brogn. Essai d'une Classification Naturelle des Reptiles. Paris, 

 1805. 



% Wagler Systeme des Amph., s. 131. 

 Vol. I. — No. 6. n. s. y 



