252 Dr. A. Smith Woodicard — A Triassic Be^^tik from Brazil. 



Ihering (San Paulo Museum), are of much interest. They not only 

 appear to determine the geological age of the formation from which 

 they were obtained, but also foreshadow the discovery of an early 

 Mesozoic South American land fauna, which has long been expected. 



They comprise three nearly complete vertebral centra and a frag- 

 ment of a fourth centrum, with one digit of four phalanges and 

 a separate ungual phalange. The bones were found together under 

 such circumstances that they probably all belong to one individual. 



The vertebral centra are remarkable for (i) their very short antero- 

 posterior extent, (ii) the deeply ovoid shape of their articular ends, 

 and (iii) the considerable constriction of their sides. 



The best-preserved specimen (Figs. 1, 1a) is evidently not much 

 crushed, and shows that both the articular ends are slightly concave. 



Fig. 1. — Cervical vertebra, anterior and right lateral (a) views, c. articulation for 

 capitulum of rib ; n.a. base of neural arch ; ^i.c. neural canal ; i. ai'ticulation 

 for capitulum of rib ; ;r. facette for intercentrum. f uat. size. 



It also exhibits the characteristic constriction of the sides, with the 

 prominent anterior rim, which bears a deeply ovoid, rounded boss (c.) 

 for the articulation of the capitulum of a double-headed rib. The 

 lower part of the same rim is bevelled in such a way (x.) as to 

 suggest that an intervertebral wedge-bone may originally have been 

 present. The neural canal (n.c.) produces a shallow groove in the 

 centrum. The base of the neural arch (n.a.) still remains, and proves 

 that it is firmly fused with the centrum, not merely articulated by 

 suture. This arch extends from end to end of the centrum, but leaves 

 a slight rim of the latter projecting in front. Its lateral portion is 

 produced somewhat downwards and ends in a deeply ovoid, rounded 



