22 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 80. 



The shaft is nearly straight and subcylindrical, as in most other 

 Lacertilians, with a large medullaiy cavity. The transversely ex- 

 panded distal end has two condyles; the one for articulation with 

 the radius, however, is missing in this specimen. The proximal ar- 

 ticular head is transversely elongated, being suboval in outline. The 

 radial crest projects from the shaft at some distance below the head 

 of the bone. 



Comparative measurements of humeri. 



Varanus 



salvator, 



25551, 



U.S.N.M. 



Greatest length 



Greatest width, proximal end 

 Greatest width, distal end. . . 

 Least diameter of shaft 



The distal end of the humerus figured " by Leidy as pertaining to 

 Saniwa major is so entirely different in its principal characteristics, 

 when compared with the humerus of either Saniwa ensidens or 

 Varanus salvator, as to indicate at once that it pertains to a 

 different type of animal. It is certainly 

 not referable to the Varanidae. Since the 

 above comment was written, Fejervary's ex- 

 cellent paper" on the Fossil Varanidae 

 has come to hand, and I find that he had 

 previously reached the same conclusion. He 

 says: 



The humerus described (p. 182) and figured (pi. and 

 fig. 14) by Leidy as belonging to S. major is un- 

 doubtedly not reptiUan and therefore can not belong 

 to Satiiwa. 



Femur. — The distal end of the left femur 

 and the proximal half of the tibia of the same 

 side is all that is preserved of the posterior 

 limb of the type specimen. Excepting its slightly smaller size and 

 the lesser prominence of the ridge developed on the internal-anterior 

 side and which continues down on to the distal end. this portion 

 of the femur is very similar to the corresponding bone in the Veranus 

 skeleton. The principal features of the distal portion of the femur 

 are well shown in figure 22. The articular surface, which is well 

 toward the posterior side, is broadly concave transversely. On the 

 anterior side external to the center of the bone is a well-defined 



Fig. 22. — Distal e.n'd of 



RIGHT FEMUn OF SANIWA 



ENSIDENS Leidy. Type, 

 Cat. No. 2185, U.S.N.M. 

 Natural size. A, su- 



FERIOU view ; B, VEN- 

 TRAL VIEW. 



""Leidy, J. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey of Terr. F. V. Hayden, U. S. Geologist in charge, 

 vol. 1, 1873. pi. 15, fig. 14, p. 182. 



"Ann. Mus. Nat. Hung., vol. 16, 1918, p. 421. 



