410 PLESIOSAURUS IN THE MESOZOIC ROCKS OF QUEENSLAND, 



ON ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE OF THE OCCURRENCE 

 OF PLESIOSAURUS IN THE MESOZOIC ROCKS 

 OF QUEENSLAND. 



By R, Etheridge, Jun., 



palieontologist to the australian museum, and geological 



Survey of New South Wales. 



(Plate VIII.) 



In continuation of my researches amongst tlie Mesozoic Reptilia 

 of Queensland, I have now the honour to bring under the notice 

 of the Society portions of disunited, but at the same time inter- 

 mingled vertebrae of a Plesiosaurus, from the " Rolling Downs 

 Formation" of the Walsh River. As originally received from 

 Mr. C. de Vis, to whom I am again indebted for the loan of the 

 specimen, the latter was almost completely embedded in the 

 nodular blue-drab impure limestone of that locality, and has been 

 worked out by Mr. W. Cor nick, the Assistant to the Taxidermist 

 of the Australian Museum. 



In this mass we have the remains of at least four vertebrae, 

 which, judging from the form and attached processes, are clearly 

 those of the dorsal series. Only one, however, is in any degree 

 perfect, the others having undergone fracture, and all abrasion. 

 Intermingled with the vertebi'ae are portions of ribs, particularly 

 two well-marked fragments, and an articular end of a third. 



The most perfect vertebra is 5 J inches high, but the inferior 

 margins of the centrum are not preserved, so that this measure- 

 ment is somewhat under that of the perfect size of the bone. The 

 edges of the articular surfaces are much worn and decorticated, 

 but as preserved the entire centrum is 1 1 inches in height, and the 

 concave articular surface \\ inches. The length of the centrum, 

 fore and aft, is 1| inches, and the breadth or width, 2 inches. The 



