170 Wright and Huxley — Fossil Reptiles from Ireland. 



disposed to refer these remains to tlie genus Anthracosaurus (Huxley) 

 of the Glasgow Coal-field. If it be different from Anthracosaurus 

 it is a new genus. 



Besides the genera thus diagnosed there are indications of the 

 existence of several others ; but the evidence is not sufficient to 

 justify us in saying more, at present, than that such indications 

 exist. 



The importance of the discoveries which have been made in the 

 Kilkenny Coal-field may be estimated by calling to mind the fact 

 that two months ago the total number of genera of vertebrate animals 

 of higher organization than fishes, known to exist in the Carbon- 

 iferous rocks of Europe, amounted only to eight, viz., ArcTiegosaurus, 

 SclerocepJialus, and Apateon, in Germany ; Parabatrachus, Anthraco- 

 saurus, Loxomma, PhoUdogaster, and AnthraTcerpeton, in Great Britain. 

 In addition to these, America had yielded the five genera, Baphetes, 

 Banicepts, Denclrerpeton, Hylerpeton, and Hylonomus, making a total of 

 thirteen genera for the Carboniferous formation in general. 



One Irish Coal pit has thus yielded, in the course of a few 

 months, by careful exploration, more genera than are known from all 

 the American Coal-fields, and nearly as many as have been obtained 

 from Europe generally. 



Five-and-twenty years ago only one genus of Vertehrata higher 

 than fishes (Archegosaurus) was known to occur in the Coal ; and, 

 curiously enough, this genus, by the imperfect ossification of its ver- 

 tebral column, and the persistence of its branchiae, lent strong 

 support to the opinions of those who believe that Palseozoic verte- 

 brates must necessarily be of low organisation. 



Dr. Dawson's discoveries in the Nova Scotia Coal-fields first 

 shook this view, which finally ceased to be tenable when the great 

 Anthracosaurus of the Scotch Coal-field was found to have well 

 ossified biconcave vertebrte. 



The Jarrow discoveries afford a most important aid in the Same 

 direction, shewing as they do that the Labyrinthodont type was 

 abundantly represented in the Carboniferous epoch, by animals with 

 well ossified vertebree; with no trace of persistent branchiae ; and, to 

 all appearances, just as highly organised as their congeners in the 

 Trias. 



Furthermore these discoveries have a value of their own in the 

 circumstance that they make us acquainted with forms of Labyrintho- 

 donts of a new character. All previously known Labyrinthodonts 

 have the form of salamanders, ^ with long tails and moderate limbs. 



But Ophiderpeton, with its snake-like body, seems to represent 

 among the Labyrinthodonts the type of Amphiuma, or perhaps of 

 Gcecilia, among existing Batrachia. Should further investigation 

 bear out this suggestion, three groups will be recognisable among 

 the Labyrinthodonts : a perennibranchiate division represented by 

 Archegosaurus ; a salamandroid group, comprising most of Laby- 



' The current restorations of the genus Labyrinthodon under the form of a great 

 toad have no justification, but are contradicted by well-known facts. 



