Fossil Reptiles. 177 



Notes on two Reptilian Tarsi in the Albany Museum. 

 By R. Broom, M.D.,B.Sc.,C.M.Z.S., Victoria College, Stellenbosch. 



The first specimen consists of the left foot, with portions of 

 the tibia and fibula, and a few rib fragments of a small reptile, 

 about the size of a cat. The specimen was found near Bedford by 

 the Rev. D. D. Eraser, and presented by him to the Museum. 

 From the horizon of the locality it is practically certain that the 

 remains are those of either a Dicyyiodotit or a Therocephalian 

 reptile, and though the tibia and fibula are too imperfect to settle 

 the question, it is very probable that the specimen represents a 

 species of Dicynodon. The foot is certainly not that of Lystro- 

 saurus, and probably not that of Oudenodon. Though the tarsus 

 is very imperfectly preserved, it is of great interest. The proximal 

 part consists of a large semicircular tibiale and a fibulare which 

 may have been even larger, but which is only preserved in part. 

 The tibiale is very similar to the tibiale of Oudenodon trigoniceps. 

 To the distal end of the tibiale is articulated a well ossified navicu- 

 lar or centrale exactly as in the mammalian tarsus. It articulates 

 with the four tarsalia and probably also with the large fibulare. 

 Portions of all four tarsalia are preserved, the fourth being a bone 

 of large size and apparently giving articulation to the fourth and 

 fifth metatarsals. It will thus be seen that we have a tarsus which 

 is quite mammalian in type. In the tarsus of Oudenodon trigoni- 

 ceps the centrale is probably cartilaginous, but in another tarsus 

 probably of Oudenodon the centrale is partly ossified. In this 

 tarsus it is as well ossified as any of the other tarsal bones and 

 resembles the mammalian bone in being considerably broader than 

 long. The specimen does not show whether an intermedium may 

 or may not have been present. 



The other specimen consists of. the right hind limb of 

 Saurosternon Grieshachi, with a few fragments of vertebrae and 

 other bones. It was discovered at Cradock by Dr. Grey. The 

 femur is fairly stout, and considerably curved at its lower end. 

 The tibia and fibula are both well developed ; the tibia being con- 



