294 A. Smith Woodioard — On Ceraterpeton Galvani. 



C. Galvani.^ No new examples from the typical locality, however, 

 Lave hitherto been described, and our knowledge of the Irish form 

 has thus remained without extension. Now, a nearly complete 

 new skeleton has been discovered at Castlecomer, by J. G. 

 Eobertson, Esq., of Dublin, and I am indebted to him and to 

 Professor Grenville Cole for the opportunity of studying it, and 

 adding somewhat to the known characters of the animal. 



Like the previous specimens, the new fossil seems to consist of 

 little more than bituminous matter replacing the substance of the 

 bony skeleton ; but it stands in relief from the surface of the shale, 

 and clearly exhibits the contours indicated in the accompanying 

 outline sketch (Plate XTI), which is of the natural size. The 

 skeleton is exposed from beneath and wants only the absolute 

 extremity of the tail. 



The lateral borders of the head are covered by the slender 

 mandibular rami (md.), which are a little crushed apart at the 

 symphysis and allow the premaxillee to be observed. Eemains 

 of a regular close series of small blunt teeth are conspicuous in 

 front ; while two teeth which seem to belong to the right mandibular 

 ramus are somewhat larger than the others and a little tumid. The 

 anterior part of the palate is destroyed, thus completely exposing 

 the cranial roof from within. Part of the border of the orbits (orb.), 

 in their characteristic forward situation, is clearly shown. The 

 pineal foramen (pin.) is also well displayed. There is a distinct 

 median suture between the frontal (fr.) and parietal bones; but 

 the transverse suture between these elements is a little uncertain, 

 though it seems to have been as indicated in the figure. As in 

 the previous specimens, the posterior cornua of the skull seem 

 to have been firmly fixed to the other elements. That of the right 

 side is almost completely exposed, and its length is about equal 

 to half that from the occiput to the end of the snout ; its surface is 

 quite smooth. 



Immediately behind the head the axial skeleton is obscured by the 

 crushed remains of the pectoral arch, which probably covers five or 

 six vertebras; but between this and the hind-limbs ten vertebrae are 

 distinctly shown in regular series, each bearing a pair of very stout 

 curved ribs. The vertebrse themselves are exposed in side view, 

 showing the slender constricted centrum and the crushed remains of 

 the expanded neural arch. The ribs are nearly uniform in size. 

 The pelvic region is obscure, but it does not seem possible to count 

 more than one vertebra as sacral. Then follow two caudal vertebrae 

 with a stout backwardly directed rib firmly fixed to each transverse 

 process. The remaining caudals must have been almost or com- 

 pletely destitute of these processes. About 25 of them are preserved 

 in regular undisturbed series, turned upon their side, and displaying 

 the characteristic fan-shaped neural and haemal arches. These arches 



1 J.Ward, "The Geological Featiires of the North Staffordshire Coal-Fields" : 

 Trans. N. Staff. Inst. Mining Engin., vol. x (1890), p. 187, pi. ix, fig. 2. C. W. 

 Andi-ews, " Note on a Specimen of Keraterpetiim Galvani, Huxley, from Stafford- 

 shii-e" : Geol. Mag., Dec. IV, Vol. II (1895), pp. 81-4, "Woodcut. 



