ON A SPINAL COLUMN OP LOXOMMA AXLMANNI. 355 



chevron bones peculiar as adjuncts to caudal vertebrse. How 

 much of the vertebral column is wanting between the two por- 

 tions it is, with our present knowledge of the osteology of 

 Lojcomma, impossible to say ; but, seeing the large size of the 

 vertebrae terminating the long portion, and the comparatively 

 small size of those forming the short portion, it has evidently 

 been considerable. It seems on the whole not improbable that 

 the short portion of the specimen consists of caudal, perhaps 

 anterior caudal, vertebrse. 



The specimen herein described is assumed to be the remains 

 of a Loxomma Allmanni, since its bones closely resemble those 

 which have been, on the authority of Huxley, declared to have 

 belonged to that Labyrinthodont Amphibian. The remains ap- 

 pear to have belonged to an adult animal. 



It is much to be regretted that further search had not been 

 made to find the rest of the skeleton at the time the spine was 

 discovered. The head and the rest of the missing parts might 

 possibly have been recovered, so as to have allowed of the re- 

 storation of the whole framework of the animal. 



There is no evidence adducible to show that Loxomma had 

 been furnished with any kind of defensive armour. 



Doubtless this great Amphibian was an air-breathing, power- 

 ful, and predacious inhabitant of the muddy swamp or lake, 

 possibly of warm water, that in remotely ancient time occupied 

 the surface of the country where now is Newsham, and which 

 succeeded to the long series of ages during which the dense 

 tropical vegetation flourished that was afterwards converted into 

 that particular seam of coal now known to us as the Low Main. 



It swam like a fish, urged on by its powerful caudal propeller, 

 and guided partially by its limbs; and was probably capable of 

 crawling on to ground like the newts and reptiles of the present 

 day. 



The specimen herein described, as well as the skull, vertebrse, 

 and other bones and teeth of Loxomma AUmanni, with drawings 

 of these, are exhibited in the cases containing the Coal Measure 

 Fossils in the Geological Department of the New Museum of 

 Natural History, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 



