129 



cataphractus , Cuv. A more close examination of it, however, sub- 

 sequently to its death, had shown him that its head was still more 

 prolonged than that part is described to be in Croc, cataphractus, its 

 length being to its breadth as 3 to 1, instead of as 2^ to 1 : it is also 

 deficient of the second post-occipital series of four small plates no- 

 ticed as occurring in Croc, cataphractus. On these accounts princi- 

 pally he stated that he considered it as representing a previously 

 undescribed species, which he characterized as 



Crocodilus leptorhynchus. Croc, rostro elongato , capitis la- 

 titudine longitudinis partem tertiam aquante ; scutis post-occipi- 

 talibus ovalibus parvis duobiis, iiuchalibus per paria quatuor ca- 

 taphractis, cum dorsi seriebus continuis. 



Long. tot. 27 unc. ; cranii, 41 ; cranii, ad maxillarum commissu- 

 ram, lat. 1|^. 



Hab. apud Fernando Po. 



Denies in maxilla superiore quatuordecim, in inferiore quindecim. 



Notwithstanding the approximation of this species to the Gavials 

 by the elongation of its jaws and by the extent to which the back of 

 the neck is protected by bony plates, it has all the essential generic 

 characters by which the Crocodiles are distinguished. The two pos- 

 terior pairs of nuchal plates are much smaller than the two pairs an- 

 terior to them. 



The animal having been anatomically examined subsequently to 

 its death, the following notes were prepared by Mr. Martin of his 

 dissection of the Crocodilus leptorhynchus. 



" The length from the anus to the nose was 1 foot 2 inches; from 

 the anus to the tip of the tail, 1 foot 1 inch ; that of the ramtcs of the 

 lower jaw, 54- inches. 



" The musk-gland described by Mr, Bell was very small ; and the 

 peculiar muscle embracing it and running to the os hyoides was so 

 deUcate and slender that it was only to be followed with extreme 

 care : the gland contained a small portion of creamy matter scented 

 very strongly of musk. 



"The serous cavities (of which, in his account of the Croc, 

 aciitus, Mr. Owen gives a detail,) may be described as follows. 

 A serous membrane constitutes a sort of pericardium, to which 

 the heart is secured at its apex by the membrane reflected from its 

 own surface : from this pericardiac membrane is reflected an ex- 

 pansion, forming a distinct serous cavity on the anterior surface 

 of each lobe of the liver : the pylorus and gall-bladder are in a 

 separate serous cavity : and so is the anterior part of the sto- 

 mach, the membrane passing from ih.e jmrietcs of the abdomen on 

 the left side, uniting with the under part of the stomach, and being 

 reflected over its surface. Besides the cavities on the liver alluded 

 to, there is another on the right lobe at \ts dorsum, very exten- 

 sive, and formed by a process of the pleura : but the pleura is not 



