74 MESSES. HANCOCK AND ATTHEY ON 



upwards of seven inches in length, and fths of an inch wide. 

 That which seems to be the external margin is thicker than the 

 inner or opposite margin ; and here the surface sculpture, which 

 is like that of the other bones, is strongest. 



The central plate, which in Labyrinthodonts is usually rhom- 

 boidal, is peculiar in form ; the two lateral angles are much pro- 

 duced, forming broad rounded lobes or wings (hence the generic 

 appellation) ; their anterior margins have a sigmodial curve ex- 

 tending to the anterior angle ; the posterior margin is almost 

 straight, but is a little produced in the centre, where there is a 

 broad flat process extending backwards ; this, however, is not 

 perfect in either specimen. Here the plate is thickest, and on 

 the surface there is a strong sinuous ridge which extends trans- 

 versely from side to side, just a little in advance of the posterior 

 margin. When the lateral plates are in their proper position, 

 their posterior extremities would, no doubt, rest against this 

 ridge, the anterior extremities converging forwards. The cen- 

 tral plate is upwards of four inches long and 6f wide. The sur- 

 face is not sculptured in the usual manner, and must be almost 

 entirely overlapped by the lateral plates. 



The other set of sternal plates is very imperfect. The cha- 

 racters, however, of the central plate are well developed ; and it 

 fortunately happens that while the right lobe of this plate in the 

 former specimen is imperfect, the right lobe of this is quite en- 

 tire, the other one being injured ; so that, by the aid of the two 

 specimens, the form can be perfectly restored. 



The two vertebrae with the neural arches complete are in a 

 very good state of preservation. The centrum is quite perfect in 

 one, and almost perfect in the other ; and between the two all 

 the processes can be determined more or less completely. They 

 were found at Newsham, but at different times. These very in- 

 teresting relics closely resemble the figure of the vertebra of An- 

 thracosaurus given by Professor Huxley in the "Journal of the 

 Geological Society," 1863, Vol. XIX., p. 63. Our specimens, 

 however, are larger ; the neural arch differs a little in form, 

 and there is a very minute notochordal foramen. The body or 

 centrum is biconcave, and appears to be considerably flattened 



