LAND ANIMALS OF THE COAL PERIOD. 375 



itself on its liind limbs, or to leap. They were certainly proportionally 

 larger and much more firmly knit than those of Dendrerpeton. Further, 

 the ribs were long and much curved, and imply a respiration of a 

 higher character than that of modern batrachians, and consequently 

 a more highly vitalized muscular system. If to these structural points 

 we add the somewhat rounded skull, indicating a large brain, we have 

 before us a creature which, however puzzling in its affinities when 

 anatomically considered, is clearly not to be ranked as low in the 

 scale of creation as modern tailed batrachians, or even as the frogs 

 and toads. We must add to these also, as important points of differ- 

 ence, the bony scales with which it was armed below, and the ornate 

 apparatus of horny appendages with which it was clad above. These 

 last, as described above, and illustrated in Fig. 144, show that this little 

 animal was not a squalid, slimy dweller in mud, like Menohranchus 

 and its allies, but rather a beautiful and sprightly tenant of the 

 Coal formation thickets, vying in brilliancy, and perhaps in colouring, 

 with the insects which it pursued and devoured. Remains of as many 

 as eight or ten individuals have been obtained from three erect 

 Sig'dlarice, indicating that these creatures were quite abundant, as 

 well as active and terrestrial in their mode of life. 



With respect to the affinities of this species, I think it is abundantly 

 manifest that it presents no close relationship with any reptile hitherto 

 discovered in the Carboniferous system, and that it presents characters 

 partly allying it to the newts and other batrachians, and partly to the 

 true reptiles. The structures of the skull, and of some points in the 

 vertebrtE, certainly resemble those of batrachians ; but, on the other 

 hand, the well-developed ribs, evidently adapted to enlarge the chest 

 in respiration, the broad pelvis, and the cutaneous covering, are imex- 

 ampled in modern batrachians, and assimilate the creature to the true 

 lizards. I have already, in my original description above quoted, 

 expressed my belief that Hylonomus may have had lacertian affinities, 

 but I do not desire to speak positively in this matter ; and shall con- 

 tent myself with stating the following alternatives as to the probable 

 i-elations of these animals: — (1.) They may have been true reptiles of 

 low type, and with batrachian tendencies. (2.) They may have been 

 representatives of a new family of batrachians, exhibiting in some 

 points lacertian affinities. (3.) They may have been the young of 

 some larger reptile, too large and vigorous to be entrapped in the pit- 

 falls presented by the hollow Sigillaria stumps, and in its adult state 

 losing the batrachian peculiarities apparent in the young. Whichever 

 of these views we may adopt, the fact remains, that in the structure 

 of this curious little creature we have peculiarities both batrachian 



