Rfptilian Notes. 131 



■examined externally, they apiDear to be separate from one another. 

 but on the inner surface (PL 8, fig. 7) all are anchylosed into a 

 solidity. In one instance at least, some of the papillae have run 

 together, forming three radiating lines from tlie apex to points on 

 Ihe circumference. 



When these fragments first came under my notice, I was struck 

 with a general resemblance to the scale armour of some lizards, 

 •and as one naturally turns first to the native fauna for comparisons 

 and affinity, the " Shingle-back " or " Stump-tail " {Trachysiturus 

 rugosus) claimed attention. This remarkable species is " clothed 

 ■with an armour of rough, thick, brown scales (PI. 8, fig. 9), which 

 ■give it very much the appearance of a living pine cone." In the 

 Shingleback the dermal armour is osseous, with a horny epidermal 

 covering, as u!-:ual, l)ut in the present instance the osseous plates 

 only are presented to us. 



The living Trachysaurus measures some fourteen inches in length, 

 and if these consolidated scutes represent a reptile allied to the 

 Shingle-back, and are to be accepted as a guide to its relative size, 

 it may not have greatly exceeded the latter in dimensions, the 

 largest scutes on the tail of the Shingle-back measure on an average 

 "9x11 m.m., whilst the cross diameters of the fossil plates are 

 12 X 1.'3 m.m. 



There is agreement between the recent species and the petrified 

 plates in the general outline of the latter, and the granular sculp- 

 ture, or ornament. On the tail plates there is a tendency to a 

 posterior pointed apex as in the Lightning Ridge fi-agments, but the 

 markedly conical elevation of the latter is not seen in the scales of 

 T. rugosus. 



I have already spoken of the smaller plates at the sides of the fossil 

 fragments, and if an examination be made of the creases between 

 the hind limbs and tail of T. rugosus, similar small scales will be 

 found bordering the larger lateral ones. From this, I venture to 

 suggest that the Lightning Ridge fragments are from an approxi- 

 mately similar position in the extinct form. 



I am unable to compare my specimens with the few Lacertilian 

 dermal scutes known from the Cretaceous elsewhere, both from the 

 absence of comparative material and literature. In the meantime 1 

 ask those who may have reptilian material from the Upper Cre- 

 taceous of either Lightning Ridge or White Cliffs, to carefully 

 •examine it, with the view of throwing further light on a very in- 

 teresting subject. 



