TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 69 



part, are visible at the surface. The northern tract is about twelve miles in length, 

 with a breadth of three or four miles. Tlie Nailsea coal-field is of smaller dimen- 

 sions. The Glutton coal-mts are in a central position. A southern coal-field ad- 

 joins the jMendip hills. The Eadstock pits, which yield an abundant supply of 

 excellent quality, are entirely concealed beneath liassic and even oolitic strata. 

 The coal-measures proper have a thickness of about 5000 feet, divisible into an 

 upper and lower series of coal seams, separated by the Pennant grit rocks. They 

 contain about ninety feet of coal, of which about one half is workable. 



Notice of Carnassial and Canirx Teeth from the Mendip Caverns, prohahly 

 belonging to Fells antiqua (syn. Pardus). Bi/ W. A. Sanfoed, F.G.S. 

 Among a quantity of Hycena and Felh spelcpa teeth, Mr. Sanford found the 

 canines and carnassial, whicli presented precisely the characters, both in size and 

 form, of Felis Pardus, which appeared to him identical with F. antiqiia of Cuvier. 

 These teeth were discovered by the late Eev. M. Williams, and are now with his 

 collection in the Taunton Museum. From information obtained from Mr. Beard, 

 the teeth came from the Hutton cave in the Mendip. 



On the Pterodactyle as Evidence of a new Subclass of Vertebrata (Sauromia). 



By Hakrt Seelet, F.G.S. 

 The author gave an account of the entire skeleton, the history, and classification 

 of Pterodactyles. In the head he described fi-om Upper Greensand examples the 

 following bones : basi-occipital, basi-temporal, basi-sphenoid, ex-occipital, supra- 

 occipital, parietal, alisphenoid, squamosal, petrosal, quadrate, quadrato-jugal, 

 orbito-ethmo-sphenoid, the vomer, os articulare, and proximal end of the lower 

 jaw, and the premaxillaiy, maxillary, and dentaiy bones. The sutures were 

 obliterated as in birds, the quadrate bone had the same double articulation with the 

 cranium a.s in birds, the squamosal bone was the same ; and the conclusion from 

 the svun of the bones was that, excepting the teeth, there is no character in the 

 skull to distinguish the Pterodactj-le from a bird. It is peculiar in that the basi- 

 occipital neither enters into the foramen magnum nor the floor for the brain or the 

 base of the skidl. And the quadrate and quadrato-jugal are anchvlosed, the latter 

 being squamous. The cranium approaches most nearly to that of the common 

 Cock. The pectoral arch was described, the homology of the bones discussed, and 

 the furcula shown to be attached to the radial processes of the humeri. The author 

 went through the comparative osteology of the remainder of the skeleton, and 

 showed that it supported the conclusion from the skull. The writings of Buck- 

 land, Owen, Huxley, Cuvier, Yon Meyer, Goldfuss, Wagner, Quenstedt, &c., were 

 reviewed, and shown to contain nothing to support the hypothesis that Ptero- 

 dactyles were reptiles. The Sauropsida, therefore, were divided into three sections 

 — Aves and Sauromia, and Reptilia — the Sauromia being birds with teeth, with 

 peculiar wings, _ tarsus and metatarsus separate, and reptilian types of vertebrae, 

 like the fossil birds Palteocolpnhus and Pelagornis of the Upper Greensand. Mr. 

 Seeley then described as new species — Pterodactylns Huxleyi, P. machcerorhynchis, 

 P. Jfopkinsi, P. Oiceni, P. Carteri{?), and completed the descriptions of Owen's 

 species P. Sedywickt, P. Fittoni, P. Woodwardi, P. sivius, and identified P. Cuvieii— 

 thus adding six ; so that now there are ten species * from the Upper Greensand and 

 one (P. Cuvieri) common to the Greensand and Chalk. In conclusion, he discussed 

 the affinities of the known Pterodactyles with one another and their classification. 



On the Significance of the Sequence of Bodes and Fossils. 



By Habrt Seelet, F.G.S. 



Assuming that the clays are the mud of rivers, that the sandstones are the 



detritus of old crystalline rocks, and that limestones were organically or chemically 



formed, the author contrasted the Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks, and the sequence o'f 



the beds they include, and, from the alternation of strata, deduced the alternations 



of upheaval of continents and the nature of the rocks presented for denudation. He 



* Several more have been found since. 



