NEW LABYRINTHODONT AMPHIBIAN. 221 



through the extensive fissures which abound in the superin- 

 cumbent limestone. Upwards the Marl-slate gradually passes, 

 becoming more calcareous according to its height, into the thin- 

 bedded compact limestone No. 3 of Prof. Sedgwick's section. 

 It is in these transition beds, at about seven feet above the Marl- 

 slate proper, that our new Labyrinthodont was found. The beds 

 of this portion are much thicker than in the compact limestone 

 above, and more marly, and contain here and there small accu- 

 mulations of gritty materials surrounded by hard compact lime- 

 stone. The amphibian itself seems to have been imbedded in a 

 very compact nodulous mass of one of these beds, and was for- 

 tunately brought to light by the splitting of the stone right 

 through the central portion of the bed. In this part of the series 

 at this quarry the only other fossil remains found were a few 

 Lingula and fragments of a Polyzoon ; but in a neighbouring 

 quarry the beds on this horizon contain numerous remains of 

 the well-known Permian mollusca. Although found in this 

 higher portion of the series, we imagine there will be no diffi- 

 culty in inferring that the remains of this creature were carried 

 from its freshwater haunts to be imbedded in a deposit which 

 was fast putting on a marine aspect. 



The specimen of this new and interesting form (PL VI., fig. 

 1), for which we propose the name of Lepidotosaurus Dujflii, 

 is unfortunately in a bad state of preservation, owing partly to 

 the crystalline condition of the matrix, and partly to the peculiar 

 state of the bones, some of which look as if they were composed 

 of dark grey carbonate of lime, while certain parts of them have 

 a burnt appearance, and are reduced to a brittle white, flaky, 

 chalk -like substance, conspicuously displaying the concentric 

 layers of growth. The fossil lies on its side, and is seen in ver- 

 tical section, part of the bones being on one slab and part on 

 the counter slab. The backbone (a, a, a) is split open longitu- 

 dinally, there having been a natural division through this part. 

 The ribs (<?, e, e) are divided in the same direction ; but they for 

 the most part are torn asunder, as the division has not extended 

 much beyond the backbone. The same may be said of the head 



