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bodies in their passage out of the column, I was at length satisfied 

 that they had not passed in that manner ; I, however, observed a con- 

 siderable difference between the vertebrae; and, indeed, between the 

 columns which they form, in those parts where these processes are seen 

 coming off, and in those from which these processes do not appear 

 to have been yet separated. A considerable groove is observable on 

 that part of the flat side of the vertebrae, from which the processes 

 have proceeded ; whereas in the latter no such groove or depression 

 appears. 



From repeated examinations, I have been therefore induced to sus- 

 pect, that these, processes are not given off in either of the ways hither- 

 to mentioned ; but that, in succession, they are formed on, and de- 

 tached from, the ;Surfaces qf the vertebrae, somewhat in the manner 

 of epiphyses. I was first led to this suspicion by remarking on the 

 sides of the vertebrae where these processes did not appear to have 

 been given off, that a prominence was observable in that part, in 

 which, when they had been given off, a considerable depression ap- 

 peared. This prominence, in some instances, also appeared to bear 

 the figure of the ossiculaa of the processes, and even seemed to be 

 surrounded by a line, at which, perhaps, the separation would have 

 taken .place. This opinion, however, derived most support from the 

 appearances yielded by the detached columns of other species, where, 

 not only the ossiculse may be seen adhering, but even the foveolse 

 in which others have been fixed. 



The ossiculse of the vertebral processes, in whatever manner formed, 

 appear to have been closely connected with each other, by such a spe- 

 cies of articulation, as was well calculated to admit the kind and de- 

 gree of motion which these parts were intended to perform. The 

 whole of the articulated process is composed of similarly formed bo- 

 dies, which gradually diminish in their size, until they terminate in 

 a small point. The animal seems to have possessed the power of coil- 

 ing up very closely the terminating parts of these processes, so as to 



