Beptllian Notes. 129 



wards on the outer side of the tooth to a slight depression on the 

 oblique alveolar surface as in Var. striates. . . . The alveolar 

 channel or groove has scarcely any depth; but the anchylosed base 

 of the tooth is applied to an oblique surface, terminating in a 

 sharp edge, from which the outer side of the free crown of the tooth 

 is directly continued. "^ 



2. — Megalania prisca, a Cave Fossil. (PI. 8, Figs. 3 and 4). 



A few months ago I received a small consignment of bones from, 

 the ossiferous deposit at the Wellington Caves Reserve. For some 

 time past a commercial venture, known as the " New South Wales 

 Phosphate Co. Ltd.," has operated on a portion of the area in 

 question. From vugs, vertical crevices, the latter possibly leading 

 to unexplored cave-chambers, and shaft exploration, a large quan- 

 tity of ossiferous material in red cave-earth has been extracted. 2 

 To the courtesy of Mr. George Dixon, of the above company, the 

 Trustees are indebted for a small collection of bones from one or 

 other of these openings. 



Amongst the specimens my attention was at once attracted by a 

 large vertebra more or less enclosed in red earth. On being freed 

 from the latter, it was found to correspond in every detail with 

 the dorsal vertebrae forming a portion of the series already referred 

 to from near Clifton Station. 



The neural spine (PI. 8, tig. 3) is broken off inuiiediately above 

 the level of the post-zygopophyses, only the right hand one of which 

 approaches entirety. The pre-zygopophyses are also fractured, the 

 left- being the more complete. As compared with Owen's dorsal 

 iigure,3 the pre-zygopophyses are relatively lower in position, and 

 nearly on a level with the upper margin of the ball articular surface 

 of the centrum. Again, the posterior zygopophyses appear to have 

 a more solid base than those in the figure quoted. On the right side 

 of the bone the transverse process is practically complete, and would 

 seem to be constructed on somewhat more solid lines than in the 

 type examples. 



The articular ball of the centrum is very convex and projecting 

 (PI. 8, fig. 4). The neural canal is distinctly broad-oval at the 

 posterior end, as usual in this reptile, and at the opposite or 



1 Owen. Odontography, pt. ii., ISll, p. 265. 



2 C'arne : " Phosphate Deposits in Limestone Caverns in New South Wales." Ann. Rept. 

 Dept. Mines N.S. Wales for 1914 (1!)15). p. 101, plan, etc. 



3 Owen. Phil. Trans., 171, pt. iii., pi. 34. 



