MARCH 91 



Dr. Munro for extraordinary mental development. The 

 posture of the iguanodon, indeed, was not absolutely 

 erect; but, at all events, the hands were perfectly at 

 liberty to serve as ministers to the brain, at once 

 stimulating that organ to speculation and structurally 

 adapting themselves to its mandates. Are we free 

 to believe that, had terrestrial conditions remained 

 favourable to the maintenance of a vigorous saurian 

 population, lizards would have attained to the lordship 

 of creation now exercised by man ? That seems to be 

 suggested by the speculations of Dr. Munro, at all 

 events. A prehistoric peep at society under a lacer- 

 tilian monarchy affords a promising subject for the 

 pencil of ingenious Mr. Keed. 



Nothing is more remarkable than the way in which 

 facts fit into their right places under a thorough system 

 of comparative research. Not many years ago few 

 things would have seemed less likely to biologists than 

 that lizards with long bodies and tails, and short, weak 

 limbs, should resort to bi-pedal locomotion. But it is 

 now known that the frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus 

 Kingi} of tropical Australia does so. Living specimens 

 of this curious creature might have been seen recently 

 in the Zoological Gardens (perhaps they are there 

 still) which afforded ample demonstration that, though 

 moving at ordinary times as quadrupeds, when they 

 are in a hurry they run as a cricketer does between the 

 wickets. The tail is carried clear of the ground, and 

 the anterior limbs are free, just as the iguanodon used 

 to carry them. Now Australia is full of archaic forms 



