Notices respecting New Booh. 263 



cavations of basins in river-beds, in proof of the probability of his 

 opinion being correct.* 



January 8, 1845. — The following communications were made : — 



A paper by Mr. A. G. Bain " On the Geology of the South-East- 

 ern extremity of Africa." 



The principal object of this paper was to describe the district in 

 which certain remarkable fossils had been obtained by the author and 

 forwarded to England. The lowest stratified rock in this district is 

 a red sandstone containing fragments of plants, which seem to re- 

 semble a common carboniferous species (Lepidodendron Sternbergii). 

 Over this rock, and conformable to it, is a conglomerate of claystcne 

 porphyry containing pebbles, and to it succeeds clayslate. The next 

 is the fossiliferous rock, and it consists of a disintegrated sandstone 

 containing argillaceous matter in septarian nodules, the fossils being 

 found in the nodules. 



A notice, by Prof. Owen, of one of the genera of animals (D/cy- 

 nodon) whose remains were forwarded by Mr. Bain. The most im- 

 portant character in this genus is the possession of two large tusks 

 like those of the walrus, but the general structure of the bones indi- 

 cates distinctly the reptilian character of the animal. The first of 

 the species described by Prof. Owen was named D. lacerticeps, from 

 its analogies with the lizards. In this species there is an exhibition 

 of unusual strength in the bones of the face, but there is no mark of 

 any other teeth than the two which give the peculiar character to 

 the animal. Prof. Owen considers that the whole of the anterior 

 part of the jaws was sheathed with horn in the same manner as the 

 Chelonians, and this is the more interesting from the other analogies 

 presented with the Chelonians. It appears indeed throughout, that 

 this singular animal united the character of the Lacertians, Chelonians 

 and Crocodilians. The second species described was named D. tes- 

 tudiniformis, and differed from the former in its greater resemblance to 

 the Chelonians. A third species, D. strigiceps, is chiefly remarkable 

 for the singular position of the tusks, placed far back behind the orbit 

 of the eye. The nearest analogue of this singular genus is the Rhyn- 

 chosaurus of the new red sandstone of England. An unexpected 

 point of structure exhibited in these animals is the existence of tusks 

 like those of mammalia, exhibiting no mark whatever of the pre- 

 sence of a succession of teeth, which in all other reptiles known 

 invariably exist. The tusks of the Dicynodon were probably used as 

 weapons of offence and defence, and the habits of the animal seem to 

 have been marine. 



XXXVII. Notices respecting New Books, 



WE are desirous of giving publicity in this country, to the sub- 

 joined announcement which has recently been issued in the 

 United States : 



STATISTICS OF COAL. 



The Geographical and Geological Distribution of Mineral Com- 



* A paper on the Sand-pipes in the Chalk near Norwich, by Mr. Lyell 

 will be found in Phil. Mag. S. 3. vol. xv. p. 257. 



