264 ORGANIC REMAINS. 



air — that its structure is analogous, in some respects, to that of the 

 ornithorhynchus paradoxus ; in others, to that of the protetis — and that 

 it has curious paddles or fins, four in number, composed of a number 

 of small bony substances, and bearing some analogy to the pectoral 

 fins of sharks; with other interesting particulars, published in the 

 Philosophical Transactions for 1814, 1816, 1818, 1819, and 1820. 

 Sir Everard names the animal proteosaurus — ^the lizard-proteus. 

 Perhaps it would be better to adopt another name, which also occur- 

 red to him, ICHTHYOSAURUS — the lizard fish. 



The most entire specimen which we have obtained, and which 

 was found in the compact shale only a few weeks ago ( in October, 

 1821 ), is shewn on a very reduced scale, PI. XV, Fig. 1. The head 

 is a little imperfect, having been some time exposed on the scar. It 

 lies on one side, displaying one of the eyes, but none of the teeth. 

 The spine is remarkably entire, and contains, from its commencement 

 to the point of the tail, one hundred and thirty two vertebrae. Some 

 ot these stand upright, some lie backward, and some forward ; the 

 whole having sustained a great pressure when imbedded in the shale, 

 in consequence of which, part of the spine has been pressed forward 

 upon the cranium. The whole skeleton, following the curvature 

 of the spine, measures eight feet eight inches ; of which length the 

 head occupies nearly eighteen inches. The larger vertebrte are near 

 two inches broad, and near one inch thick at the edge, the middle 

 being very thin, as in the vertebrae of the shark. The ribs are slender 

 and numerous, there having been more than forty on each side. They 

 are all crushed flat, those on the one side being thrown across the spine, 

 so as to meet those of the other side. Of the two fore paddles, or 

 pectoral fins, only one is distinctly seen, at A ; and it was partly injured 

 in taking up the fossil. The two hind paddles are both seen at B, 

 lying on the same side of the spine. They are much smaller than the 

 fore paddles, being only about seven inches long, while the fore 



