Adams — On a Fossil Saurian Vertebra. 177 



XXY. 0^ A POSSIL SaXTRIAN YeETEBEA, AeCTOSATOIIS OsBOKlvI, 



FKOM THE AncTic Eegiois^s. By A. Leith Adaj!J[s, r. E. S., F. G. S., 

 Professor of Zoology in the Eoyal College of Science for Ireland. 



[Eead May 10, 1875.] 



The vertebra here described was presented to the late Mr. Salter, 

 P. Gr. S., by the late Admiral Sherard Osborn, who brought it from 

 Eendezvous Point, Byam Martin Channel, in the Arctic regions. I 

 lately placed myself in communication with Admiral Osbom, with 

 the view of obtaining further information on the subject, but regret 

 to state that his sudden death prevented me from obtaining whatever 

 data he might have been enabled to furnish in connexion with the 

 history of its discovery and the conditions under which it was found. 

 However, I am assured by the Eev. Dr. Haughton that he has a dis- 

 tinct recollection of seeing the fossil bone when in the possession of 

 Mr. Salter, and, from a cursory examination at the time, was inclined 

 to think that it might have belonged to Teleosaunis ; at the same time, 

 he informs me that there cannot be the slightest doubt as to its Arctic 

 origin, which he ascertained previous to making the following record, 

 published in the "Appendix to the Yoyage of the Fox," p. 372. 

 Eeferring to the above, and remains of a similar description, he states : 

 "Captain Sherard Osborn also found broken vertebrae of a Teleosaurus, 

 150 feet up Eendezvous Hill, Byam Martin Channel, at the north- 

 west extremity of Bathurst Island; they were certainly in situ.'''' 

 Moreover, according to the determinations of this distinguished geolo- 

 gist, it will be observed that he considers the upper portion of Bathurst 

 Island is composed of carboniferous limestone.^* 



The specimen in question was presented by Mr. Salter to Dr. Carte, 

 P. L. S., Director of the Natural History Museum, Diiblin, who has 

 placed it in my hands for description. 



With reference to other discoveries of a similar nature within the 

 Arctic Circle, it may be stated that Sir Edward Belcher, Sir Leopold 

 M'CKntock, and Admiral Sherard Osborn, brought many fossils from 

 the group of islands lying between E'orth Cornwall and iS'ofth Devon. 

 Among others were remains of Ichthyosaurus, determined by Pro- 

 fessor Owen, and said to be from Lias beds.f These are the only Eep- 

 tilian remains, as far as I can discover, yet described as Arctic fossils. 



The specimen presents the following mineralogical characters, for 

 the determination of which I am indebted to my friend M. Gages , 

 M. E. LA. 



* "Geological Account of tlie Arctic Archipelago, drawn up from Specimens col 

 lected by Captain F. L. M'Clintock, R.N., from 1849 to 1859," Jom-. of the Geo 

 Soc, Dublin, vol. viii., p. 196. By the Rev. S. Haughton, F. R. S. 



t Appendix to " Last of the Arctic Voyages," by Sir E. Belcher, vol. ii., p. 389 



K. I. A. PKOC, SER. II. VOL. II., SCIENCE. 2 B 



