88 Reports and Proceedings. 



Mr. "W. Boyd Dawkins remarked that one of the equine molars was the largest of 

 the class he had seen. He agreed with the President as to the smaller molar. He 

 was unable, from the specimens, to determine whether they were Miocene or Pliocene . 

 He mentioned the discovery in the Laterite of India of a portion of a human femur of 

 most remarkably slender make. 



II. January 13th, 1869. — 1. ''On Hyperodapedon. By Professor 

 T. H. Huxley, LL.D., F.E.S., Pres. G.S. 



The author described the characters of the genus Hyperodajpedon, 

 dwelling especially upon those presented by the head and dentition. 

 The head presents indications of a bone forming a second zj^gomatic 

 arch on each side ; the upper jaw is produced and bent downwards, 

 forming a strong beak ; and the lower jaw is produced on each side 

 of the symphysis into a pointed process, between which the decurved 

 beak of the upper jaw is received. The maxillary and palatine teeth 

 are arranged in rows, and present some resemblance to the large nails 

 in the sole of a boot ; they are inserted on each side of the upper jaw 

 upon the sloping sides of a deep grove, and are worn down and 

 polished by the action of the mandibular teeth, which form a con- 

 tinuous and very close single series along the upper edge of the 

 mandible. The author remarked upon this peculiarity of arrangement, 

 which, he said, enables the teeth of Hyperodapedon to be recog- 

 nized wherever they may occur. The vertebree have their centra 

 slightly concave at each extremity. The other known parts of the 

 skeleton described by the author were the ribs, scapula, coracoid, 

 and part of the humerus, the pelvis, femur, and proximal ends of 

 the tibia and fibula, and the abdominal false-ribs, which are largely 

 developed in this Eeptile. 



The author declared the affinities of Hyperodapedon to be de- 

 cidedly Lacertilian. Its nearest fossil ally is the Triassic genus 

 Bhynchosaurus, and in the present day its type of structure is 

 most clearly reproduced by the singular genus Splienodon =: [Hat- 

 teria) of New Zealand. In its habits Hyperodapedon was probably 

 terrestrial, or perhaps fluviatile ; in Warwickshire and India it is 

 associated with Lahyriydliodords. The remains hitherto met with 

 do not justify the formation of more than one species, Hyperoda- 

 pedon Gordoni ; and the genus ranges from Britian to Central India, 

 indicating a great extent of dry land during the period to which 

 it belongs. 



Specimens of Hyperodapedon from the Trias of Warwickshire, 

 collected many years ago by Dr. Lloyd, were exhibited ; but in 

 discussing the question whether Hyperodapedon is to be regarded 

 as determining the Triassic age of any rock in which it may be 

 found, the author referred to the fact that Crocodiles bridge over 

 the whole interval between the Mesozoic and existing conditions, 

 and Beryx in like manner connects the Cretaceous with our present 

 fish fauna. As Hyperodapedon is at least as nearly allied to the 

 existing genus Splienodon (== Hatteria) as it is to the Triassic Bhyn- 

 chosaurus, the author inquires why may it not have inhabited the 

 dry land of the Permian, Carboniferous, or Devonian period ? Car- 

 rying the idea thus raised still further, he indicates from certain rela- 



