Nov. 20, 1884] 



NA TURE 



69 



(3) Family Hadrosaurida. — Teeth in several rows, forming 

 with use a tesselated grinding surface. Anterior vertebra; opis- 

 thoccelian. Genera' : Hadrosaurus (Diconius ?), Agathaumas, 

 Cionodon. 



(IV.) 1 >nk-i Tiieropoda (Beast-foot). — Carnivorous. Pre- 

 maxillary bones with teeth. Anterior nares at end of skull. 

 BArge antorbitaJ opening. Vertebra? more or less hollow. Feet 

 Bgitigrade : digits with prehensile claws. Pubes projecting 

 downward, with distal ends co-ossified. 



(1) Family Megalosauridtz. — Anterior vertebra; convexo-con- 

 cave ; remaining vertebrae bi-concave. Pubes slender. Astra- 

 galus with ascending process. Genera : Megalosaurus (Poikilo- 

 pleuron), Allosaurus, Ccelosaurus, Creofiurus, Drvptosaurus 

 1 1 . 1' ■ 



(2) Family LabrosauridtB. — Lower jaws edentulous in front. 

 Cervical and dorsal vertebrae convexo-concave. Pubes slender, 

 with anterior margins united. Astragalus with ascending pro- 

 cess. Genus : Labrosaurus. 



(3) Family Zancfodontida. — Vertebrae bi-concave. Pubes 

 broad elongate plates, with anterior margins united. Astragalus 

 whin mi ascending process. Five digits in manus and pes. 

 Genera : Zanclodon (?), Teratosaurus. 



(4) Family AmphisauridtB. — Vertebras bi-concave. Pubes 

 rod-like. Five digits in manus, and three in pes. Genera : 

 Amphisaurus (Megadactylus ?), Bathygnathus (?), Clepsysaurus, 

 Palasosaurus, Thecodontosaurus. 



(a) Sub-order Cceluria. — (5) Family Ccelurida. — Vertebra; 

 and bones of skeleton pneumatic. Anterior cervicals convexo- 

 concave ; remaining vertebra; bi-concave. Cervical ribs co- 

 ossified with vertebrae. Metatarsals very long and slender. 

 Genus : Ccelurus. 



(/>) Sub-order Compsognatha. — (6) Family Compsognathi- 

 da. — Cervical vertebra; convexo-concave ; remaining vertebra; 

 bi-concave. Three functional digits in manus and pes. Ischia 

 with long symphisis on median line. Genus : Compsognathus. 



(c) Sub-order Cerastosauria. — (7) Family Ceratosauridce. 

 — Hom on skull. Cervical vertebra; plano-concave ; re- 

 maining vertebrae bi-concave. Pubes slender. Pelvic bones 

 co-ossified. Osseous dermal plates. Astragalus with ascending 

 process. Metatarsals co-ossified. Genus : Ceratosaurus. 



The four orders defined above, which the author first esta- 

 blished for the reception of the American Jurassic Dinosaurs, 

 appear to be all natural groups, well marked in general from 

 each other. The European Dinosaurs from deposits of cor- 

 responding age fall readily into the same divisions, and, in some 

 cases, admirably supplement the series indicated by the American 

 forms. The more important remains from other formations in 

 1 1 y and in Europe, so far as their characters have been 

 made out, may likewise be referred with certainty to the same 

 orders. 



The three orders of herbivorous Dinosaurs, although widely 

 different in their typical forms, show indications of approxima- 

 tion in some of their aberrant genera. The Sauropoda for 

 sample, with Atlantosaurus and Brontosaurus, of gigantic 

 size, for their most characteristic members, have in Morosaurns 

 a branch leading towards the Stegosauria. The latter order, 

 likewise, although its type genus represents in many respects the 

 most strongly marked division of the Dinosaurs, has in Scelido- 

 sanrus a form with some features pointing strongly toward the 

 Ornithopoda. 



The carnivorous Dinosauria now best known may all be 

 placed at present in a single order, and this is widely separated 

 from those that include the herbivorous forms. The three sub- 

 orders here defined include very aberrant forms, which show 

 many points of resemblance to Mesozoic birds. Among the 

 more fragmentary remains belonging to this order, this resem- 

 blance appears to be carried much farther. 



The Amphisaurida and the Zanclodontidce, the most general- 

 ised families of the Dinosauria, are known only from the Trias. 

 The typical genera, however, of all the orders and sub-orders, 

 are Jurassic forms, and on these especially the present classifica- 

 tion is based. The Hadrosaurida are the only family confined 

 to the Cretaceous. Above this formation there appears to be at 

 present no satisfactory evidence of any Dinosauria. 



The peculiar orders Hallopoda and Aetosauria include carni- 

 vorous reptiles which are allied to the Dinosauria, but they differ 

 from that group in some of its most characteristic features. In 



both Aetosanrus and Hallopus the calcaneum is much produced 

 backwards. In the former genus the entire limbs are crocodilian, 

 and this is also true of the dermal covering. In both of these 

 genera there are but two sacral vertebras, but this may be the 

 case in true Dinosaurs, especially from the Trias. Future dis- 

 coveries will probably bring to light intermediate forms between 

 these orders and the typical Dinosaurs. The Crocodilia have 

 some some strong affinities with the Dinosauria, especially with 

 those of the order Sauropoda. The extinct genus Belodon of the 

 Triassic, for example, resembles Diplodoeus, particularly in the 

 large antorbital vacuities of the skull, the posterior position of 

 the external nasal aperture, as well as in other features. The 

 Rhynchoctphala, represented by the genus Hatteria, have several 

 important characters in common with the Dinosauria, and, as 

 the former is evidently an ancient type, it is probable that a real 

 affinity may exist between these two groups. 



That birds are closely related to Dinosaurs there is no longer 

 any question. In addition to the various characters which these 

 groups have been known to share with each other, two more 

 may be added in consequence of discoveries made during the 

 past year. The genus Ceratosaurus, a carnivorous Dinosaur 

 from the Jurassic of the Rocky Mountains, recently described by 

 the author, has the pelvic bones co-ossified, as in all known 

 birds, living and extinct, except Areha>opteryx. The same rep- 

 tile, moreover, has the metatarsal bones firmly united, as in all 

 adult birds, with possibly the single exception of Arclusopteryx, 

 while all the known Dinosauria, except Ceratosaurus, have both 

 the pelvic and the metatarsal bones separate. The exception in 

 each case brings birds and reptiles near together at this point, 

 and their close affinity is now a matter of demonstration. 



THE DANISH EXPEDITION IN GREENLAND 

 VyE have on previous occasions referred to the Expedition 

 under Lieuts. Holm and Garde, which has for more than 

 a year been engaged in exploring the east coast of Greenland, 

 and we are now able to supplement this with an interesting 

 report from Lieut. Holm, written in the spring, from the winter 

 quarters of the Expedition, and received some time ago by 

 sailing-vessel at Copenhagen. 



The place where the Expedition wintered is called Namor- 

 talik, and lies on the east coast, about fifty miles, as the crow 

 flies, from Cape Farewell. It is also called Bjorneorten (the 

 "bear-haunt'), from the many bears in the neighbourhood. 

 After an excursion lasting two months and a half during the 

 summer of 18S3, the Expedition returned in September to 

 Namortalik, but the huts for wintering not being finished, they 

 started for a week's further excursion to the Fredriksdalsfjord, 

 between Namortalik and Cape Farewell. 



It was not until the end of October that the Expedition could 

 begin their regular scientific observations at the station, but after 

 that date they were continued without interruption through the 

 winter. As, however, the chief object of the Expedition was to ex- 

 plore the east coast in boats, the scientific observations have not 

 been so rich as those, for instance, of the Danish International Ex- 

 pedition at Godthaab in 18S2-S3 (Nature, vol. xxix. p. 337) ; 

 but every effort was made to adhere as strictly as possible to 

 the programme of the International Polar Commission. The 

 meteorological observations were made every third hour from 

 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., and the magnetic observations every hour ex- 

 cept at 3 and 4 a.m. On the 1st and 5th of every month the 

 magnetic instruments were read every fifth minute during eight 

 hours and every twentieth second during one hour. 



With reference to the climatological conditions of the east 

 coast, we learn that the winter is very raw and severe, although 

 it cannot be said to be of excessive duration. The pleasant, 

 calm, frosty weather which is experienced in North Greenland 

 seldom prevails on the east coast, but in its stead there are fre- 

 quent and sudden changes and violent storms ; there being, for 

 instance, one day 20 C. of frost, and the next several degrees 

 of heat, while heavy rains and snows alternate. In consequence 

 of these sudden changes it is impossible in East Greenland to 

 employ the mode of locomotion so valuable in other parts, 

 viz. the dog-sledge. The only means of conveyance here is 

 by boat. If, therefore, the sea is frozen over for a time, 

 the inhabitants remain where they are, and wait patiently until 

 a higher temperature removes the obstacle. The ice never 

 becomes firm enough to bear a man and sledge. 



Up to January last the temperature had not fallen lower than 

 I5°"5 C. — about Christmas — the glass generally standing between 



