S28 Zoological Society, 



depressed on the upper, to form the channel for the spinal marrow. 

 The body of the vertebra is much compressed towards its centre, and 

 the transverse processes are reduced to a small tubercle on each side. 

 On the inferior margin of the articulating surfaces are large oblique 

 facets for the reception of a powerful chevron bone. The form of 

 this vertebra differs essentially from the subquadrangular form of the 

 caudal vertebra; of the Iguanodon, and it has no perforations on the 

 inferior part of its body, like those which enter the lower side of the 

 body of the vertebrae of the Plesiosaurus. 



Other bones, of corresponding size, and considered by Dr. Buck- 

 land as belonging probably to this genus, have been found at Brad- 

 well, a few miles north-east of Buckingham, on the continuation of 

 the same formation. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



April 28. — The Chairman exhibited a portion of the vertebral 

 column of a Sole, Solea vulgaris, Cuv., which had been sent to him 

 by Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart., for the purpose of illustrating the 

 manner in which reunion takes place after fracture of the long spinous 

 processes of the caudal vertebrae. Each end of the fractured bones is 

 enlarged, and appears to have become a new centre of ossification, 

 from whence processes have been sent out to join the neighbouring 

 one ; and where, as in this instance, several adjoining bones have 

 partaken of the injury, the new processes have, in more than one 

 place, united the broken portion, not to that with which it was 

 originally connected, but to the bone immediately preceding or fol- 

 lowing it : the new bone exhibiting no appearance of disease, but 

 possessing altogether a healthy character. 



Mr. Gray exhibited a specimen of a Toad, which he had recently 

 received from Swan River, whence it was sent to him by Joseph 

 Wright, Esq. Believing it to be hitherto undescribed, he charac- 

 terized it as the Bombinator Australis. 



The back is generally smooth, and has some small smooth tuber- 

 cles arranged along it in longitudinal series. The toes are four in 

 number on the anterior feet, and five on the posterior : they are 

 slender, free, and unequal. 



Mr. Gray remarked, that the form of Toad to which the name of 

 Bombinator has been given had not previously been met with beyond 

 the limits of Europe ; and added, that this Australian species agreed 

 with the European, not only in the essential characters of the group, 

 but in the tone and nature of its colouring, and was only specifically 

 distinguishable by the mode in which the markings were distributed 

 on its surface. 



Mr. Gray also exhibited some specimens of the genus Echinus, as 

 restricted by Lamarck and modern authors ; and proceeded to ex- 

 plain his views with regard to its subdivision into what he consi- 

 ders four natural genera, adapted to facilitate the distinction of the 

 species of this extensive group. He regards this distinction as of the 

 more importance, in as much as some of the characters which had been 



