80 MESSRS. HANCOCK AND ATTHEY ON 



extremity. The proximal end is bifid, the capitulum being longer 

 than the tuberculum. The ventral shield is distinctly displayed ; 

 it extends from about half-an-ineh behind the head almost to the 

 other extremity of the body, in the form of a broad band, and 

 is composed of very numerous, delicate, slightly curved, much 

 elongated scales, with the extremities pointed. They are ar- 

 ranged transversely ; and the ends of the parallel rows overlap 

 each other laterally. 



The extreme delicacy of these scutes, which are almost filamen- 

 tous, distinguishes this species from 0. Brownriggii, described 

 by Prof. Huxley.* Its diminutive size is also characteristic. 

 No trace of sternal plates or of anterior and posterior limbs are 

 observable. 



Reptile, species undetermined. 



A single specimen of the central sternal plate of a second large 

 Labyrinthodont was obtained at Newsham some time ago. It is 

 nearly five inches long and about f ths of an inch wide, and is 

 pretty regularly lozenge-shaped, with the posterior angle pro- 

 duced, forming a wide, depressed, tapering process half-an-inch 

 broad at the termination, which is truncate. The sides thence 

 to the lateral angles are a little concave, and from the lateral 

 angles to the anterior extremity (which is not much produced) 

 are slightly convex ; the anterior slopes are much shorter than 

 the posterior ones. The surface is very rugose, with the usual 

 Labyrinthodont structure, which, however, is not so sharply de- 

 fined as it is in Pteroplax. The depressions and ridges have a 

 radial disposition ; the plate is about ^th of an inch thick, but 

 diminishes in substance towards the margins. 



In this interesting fossil we have evidence of the presence of 

 another large Labyrinthodont in the Northumberland Coal Field, 

 which, judging from the measurements of the plate, cannot be 

 less than the large species previously described. And if we look 

 to the form of the plate and the character of the surface orna- 

 ment, it would seem probable that it belonged to a reptile not 



* "Transactions" Koyal Irish Academy, Vol. XXIV., p. 351, "Science," 1867. 



