556 PROCEEDnfGS OP THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [Feb. 23. 



ticular, having been carefully chiselled out by Mr. Dew, afforded a 

 complete skull of this peculiar and previously undescribed species of 

 Dicynodon. 



The author described the distinctive features of this skull in detail. 

 Dicynodon Murrayi is distinguished from all the already known 

 species by the following characters : — 



1. The plane of the upper and anterior face of the nasal and pre- 

 maxillary bones would, if produced, cut that of the upper face of the 

 parietals at an angle of about 90°. 



2. The supratemporal fossae are much longer from within out- 

 wards than from before backwards, owing partly to the shortness of 

 the parietal region. 



3. The alveoli of the tusks, the transverse section of which is 

 circular, commence immediately under the nasal aperture, and extend 

 forwards and downwards parallel with the plane of the nasal and 

 upper part of the premaxillary bones, and do not leave their sockets 

 until they have passed beyond the level of the posterior end of the 

 symphysis of the lower jaw. 



4. The nasal apertures are altogether in front of the orbits. 



5. The length of the upper jaw in front of the nasal apertures is 

 certainly equal to one-third, and probably to one-half, the whole 

 length of the skull, which is between six and seven inches. 



6. The OS quadratum is about half as long as the skull. 



These structural peculiarities are sufficient to distinguish Dicy- 

 nodon Murrayi from all others ; and the author stated that he should 

 reserve the description of many other anatomical features, which are 

 probably more or less common to other Dicynodons, such as the 

 bony sclerotic, the bony interorbital septum and vomer, the cha- 

 racters of the humerus, of the pelvis, and of the ribs, for another 

 paper, in which other Dicynodont remains would be considered. 



4. On the Coal found by Dr. LivrN"GSTONE at Tete, on the Zambesi, 



South Aeeica. By Eichaed Thoentoit, Esq. 



[Forwarded from the Foreign Office by order of Lord Malmesbury.] 



(Abstract.) 



Mr. TnoENTOiiT states that this coal, which was dug by the natives 

 from an outcropping seam on the bank of the River Muntizi, is free- 

 burning ; showing no tendency to cake ; containing very little of 

 either sulphur or iron, a large proportion of ash, but only a little 

 gaseous matter. The result of the trial (made in the steam-launch) 

 of this coal, and its appearances, favour, in the author's opinion, the 

 idea that the coal, when taken from a deeper digging (that which 

 Dr. Livingstone had sent was collected at the surface of the ground), 

 will probably contain less ash and a little more gaseous matter. 



