Geological Society. 510 



Miss Mary Anning, and was found to belong to a new species of that 

 extinct genus, hitherto recognized only in the lithographic Jura-limestone 

 of Sollenhofen, which the authour considers as nearly coeval with the 

 English chalk. 



The head of this new species is wanting, but the rest of the skeleton, 

 though dislocated, is nearly entire ; and the length of the claws so much 

 exceeds that of the claws of the Pterodactyli longirostris and brevirostris, 

 of which the only two known specimens are minutely described by Cu- 

 vier, as to show that it belongs to another species, for which the name of 

 Pterodactijlus macronyx is proposed. A drawing of this fossil by 

 Mr. Clift accompanies the paper. The authour had for some time past 

 conjectured, that certain small bones found in the lias at Lyme Regis, and 

 referred to birds, belong rather to the genus Pterodactyle. This conjec- 

 ture is now verified. It was also suggested to him, in 1823, by Mr. 

 J. S, Miller of Bristol, that the bones in the Stonesfield-slate, which have 

 been usually considered as derived from birds, ought to be attributed to 

 this extraordinary family of flying reptiles: Dr. Buckland is now inclined 

 to adopt this opinion, and is disposed to think still further, that the cole- 

 opterous insects, whose elytra occur in the Stonesfield-slate, may have 

 formed the food of those insectivorous Pterodactyles. He conceives also, 

 that many of the bones from Tilgate Forest, hitherto referred to birds, 

 may belong to this extinct family of anomalous reptiles: and, from its 

 presence in these various localities, he infers that the genus Pterodactyle 

 was in existence, throughout the entire period of the deposition of the 

 great Jura-limestone formation, from the lias to the chalk ; expressing 

 doubts as to the occurrence of any remains of birds before the com- 

 mencement of the tertiary strata. 



Fossil Fceces of the Ichthyosaurus. — The authour concludes from an 

 extensive series of specimens, that the fossils, locally called Bezoar-stones, 

 that abound at Lyme, in the same beds of lias with the bones of Ichthyo- 

 saurus, are the feeces of that animal. In variety of size and form they 

 resemble elongated pebbles, or kidney-potatoes, varying generally from 

 two to four inches in length, and from one to two inches in diameter; 

 some few being larger, others much smaller. Their colour is dark gray ; 

 their substance, like indurated clay, of a compact earthy texture; and 

 their chemical analysis approaches to that of album grsecum. Undi- 



