236 MESSES. HANCOCK AND HOWSE 



there were two or three pelvic joints ; but from what he states 

 it would seem likely that three is the number. 



A fragment of a flattened rounded bone, measuring one inch 

 and an eighth across, lies directly below the lumbar vertebrae. 

 This is probably a portion of the pelvic girdle, and is the only 

 indication of its presence. This resembles in form the rounded 

 extremity of a bone (tab. IV., f. 1, 2, of von Meyer's work) lying 

 in contact with the femur, and is probably a portion of either 

 the pubis or ischium. 



Immediately in front of the fragment lie the short ribs, which 

 are not more than an inch long ; they are only slightly arched, 

 with the head a little enlarged, and the distal extremity obtusely 

 pointed. Further in advance there are the remains of three or 

 four other ribs, with more or less of the enlarged proximal ex- 

 tremity preserved and lying on the vertebras apparently near to 

 the point of articulation. One such extremity, the most ante- 

 rior, is pressed down upon the sixth or seventh vertebra in ad- 

 vance of the sacrum. It lies immediately behind and below the 

 distorted and broken transverse process, to which it is probably 

 attached. Portions of the other heads occupy relatively exactly 

 the same position on the two posterior vertebrae. 



The head of each rib is of a triangular form, and is compressed, 

 with the articulating surface simple and almost straight. The 

 shaft at the proximal extremity is rather strongly bent ; it is 

 afterwards slightly and regularly arched, and at first it is nar- 

 row and almost cylindrical, afterwards it widens and flattens, 

 and is grooved longitudinally ; the distal end is truncated for 

 the attachment of the ventral ribs, of which, according to Meyer, 

 there are three to each vertebral rib. The ventral ribs are not 

 preserved in our specimen, with the exception of one or two. 

 Two or three ribs on a portion of the counter-slab measure four 

 inches and three-eighths along the chord. The widened extre- 

 mity is one quarter of an inch broad ; the constricted portion 

 above is not more than half that width. 



