FOSSIL REPTILES. 367 



the French side of the channel, and was accompanied, as in 

 England, by the ichthyosaurus and crocodiles of various kinds. 

 Even from the interior of France, from the neighbourhood of 

 Auxonne, in the department of the Cote d'Or, M. Cuvier pro- 

 cured similar relics. There are some also found in the interior 

 of this country, at a great distance from Lyme, forM. Brogniart 

 obtained some fragments at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 



The magnificent specimen from Lyme is composed of many 

 stones, which fit well to each other. The only doubt that 

 can possibly be attached to them relates to the narrowest part 

 near the base of the neck. But even if this neck did not 

 belong to the same individual, it is not less extraordinary by 

 its excessive elongation, and most assuredly belongs to the 

 same species. 



The animal lies on its belly, and its length in the state in 

 which it is seen is nine feet six inches, from the end of the 

 muzzle to the extremity of the tail. 



The head is in advance a little before the rest, with six ver- 

 tebrae, in a continued series. Then come four vertebrae, a httle 

 displaced ; but the series is again renewed, and exhibits eigh- 

 teen vertebrae in their natural order. There are seen twelve, 

 more or less deranged, some of which may, perhaps, belong to 

 the back. The following six are nearly in their places, and 

 conceal the humero-sternal apparatus under them. Then 

 come two crosswise, and then three considerably detached from 

 their natural position. The rest of the vertebrae of the back, 

 as far as the pelvis, eleven in number, is tolerably continuous, 

 but altogether out of the direction of the spine, and thrown on 

 the left side, which permits us to see the arrangement of the 

 abdominal ribs. The pelvis is also, in a great measure, dis- 

 covered. 



Behind the pelvis, twenty-five vertebrae can be counted, 

 forming the tail, pretty nearly in line, except the sixth and 

 seventh, and still furnished, in a great measure, with their little 

 chevron -formed bones. 



