36 Hevieivs — Dr. Ristori on Italian Apes. 



relatively greater length of the neck. Pachypleura (or Neusti- 

 cosaurus) has no front teeth such as characterize the foi'm now 

 described, and there are differences in the limbs. Dactylosatirus is 

 also excluded from comparison both by its short, stout, cervical 

 vertebrge, and by the absence of an epicondylar foramen in the 

 humerus. Dr. Dames' study of the subject leads him to conclude, 

 that all the Triassic JVothosaur us -like reptiles may well be comprised 

 within a single family, that of Nothosaui-idse ; while the remarkable 

 Mesosauridae ought not to be regarded as very closely related. 



A. S. W. 



IV. — On the Mexican Meteorites, with especial regard to the 



SUPPOSED OCCURRENCE OF WIDE-SPREAD MeTEORITIC ShOWERS. 



By L. Fletcher, M.A., F.E.S., with maps of the region. 

 Mineralogical Magazine, Vol. IX. No. 42, pp. 91-180. 



IN this most important contribution to Meteoritic Literature, Mr, 

 Fletcher first points out that the "prevalent belief in wide- 

 spread meteoritic showers" is "as regards the desert of Atacama, 

 based on insufficient evidence," and then goes on to make observa- 

 tions, from which it would appear that he includes Mexico in this 

 statement. Mr. Fletcher notes the Meteoritic falls actually observed 

 (only seven in number) ; the localities in which Meteoritic masses 

 have been found ; the distribution in each locality ; the transporta- 

 tion of masses ; the natural or artificial dispersion of masses belonging 

 to a single type ; and the facts which seem to him to prove that 

 many of the masses probably belong to a single fall. Numerous 

 other points are also carefully considered and the history of each 

 known mass is treated in detail, the actual locality being shown on 

 the maps appended. Although dealing with the Meteoritic falls 

 in a limited district, this paper throws a great light on the general 

 subject and will be found most instructive to all those who are 

 interested in cosmical phenomena. 



la IE AT' I IE -"W S. 



I. — Dr. Eistori on Fossil Italian Apes. 

 EiSTORi, G. Le Scimmie Fossili Italiane. Boll. Com. Geol. Vol. 

 VII. Nos. 5-8 (1890). 



IN this communication the author affords us some important 

 and interesting information as to the affinities of the fossil Ape 

 from the Miocene of Monte Bamboli known as Oreopithecus hamboHi. 

 This Ape was originally described by Gervais on the evidence of an 

 imperfect lower jaw of an immature individual ; and was then 

 regarded as being a true anthropoid. Quite recently, however. Dr. 

 Max Schlosser came to the conclusion that the genus has nothing 

 to do with that group, but was very closely allied to Cynocephalns. 

 Dr. Eistori now describes and figures a number of imperfect jaws, 

 and considers that while there are undoubtedly some signs of affinity 

 with the Cercopithecidce, as represented by Semnopithecus and 



