Prof. Huxley on Archeopteryx lithographica. 223 
of two small articular poocesses are distinctly visible at each end of 
the vertebra. ‘The superior surface of each articular process is raised 
into a low longitudinal ridge; and the posterior pair of processes lie 
at the sides of a narrow, parallel-sided plate of bone, which projects 
beyond the posterior edge of the vertebra, and is received between 
the anterior articular processes of the vertebra which succeeds it. 
A low linear longitudinal elevation occupies the place of spinous 
_ ~process. 
If my interpretation of these appearances is correct, it is clear 
that the caudal vertebrae (as was to be expected) turn their dorsal 
faces to the eye. , 
7. One important and extremely conspicuous bone, the furculum 
(if it be such), undoubtedly turns its ventral surface to the eye; 
and I cannot but suspect that it is the bouleversement of this bone 
which has led to that reversal of the proper nomenclature of the 
other bones which, could it be sustained, would leave Archeopteryx 
without a parallel in the vertebrate subkingdom. 
When the specimen of Archeopteryx is once put into its right 
position, many points of its structure acquire an intelligibility which 
they lose to those who accept the interpretations given in the memoir. 
The so-called right foot, for example, which, as a right foot, is like 
nothing in nature, becomes strikingly ornithic as a left foot, from 
the backward direction of the hallux and the apparent anchylosis of 
the metatarsal bones. The distal ends of the second and third meta- 
tarsals appear to me, however, to be separated fora much greater 
distance, proportionately to the length of the metatarsus, than in any 
existing birds, except the Penguins. 
The femur is more slender and more curved in proportion to its 
length than in any recent bird with which I am acquainted. The 
representation of the bone in fig. 1 of plate iii. is inaccurate, as 
may be seen by comparing it with that given in plate 1. 
The small size of the cnemial crest of the tibia is also very re- 
-markable. 
The right innominate bone is imperfectly represented in plate i. 
of the memoir cited. Its anterior end is not, as it there appears to be, 
abruptly truncated: there is an elevation in the region which would 
be occupied by the prominence against which the base of the great 
trochanter works, and which is so characteristic of birds. The greater 
part of the ischium is not represented; and the sacrosciatic space 
certainly has not the form which it is represented to have. The 
references o to the “‘ obturator foramen,’’ and 63, to the * ischium ”’ 
(J. c. p. 40), are unintelligible to me. 
The ischium can be traced back for ? of an inch from the ace- 
tabulum ; and so much of it as is preserved remains narrow through- 
out this extent, and is convex upwards, but concave downwards or 
towards the matrix. 
The ventral edge of the ischium appears to be entire throughout 
this extent; but the posterior moiety of its dorsal edge is somewhat 
rough and angular. It is therefore very probable that the ischium 
16* 
