Huxley — New Fossil Reptiles. 



203 



are plainly seen. After carefully observing most of the mouths of the rivers on our 

 coast, I am satisfied that they are all more or less liable to periodical obstructions 

 of this description. 

 , It is only in this deposit (H) that traces of man have been found. They consist 

 of implements, fragments of native pottery and charred wood.^ It is only when 

 the fossils are close to the underlying hard rock that the process of concretion and 

 cementation has made any advance, otherwise they are loose in their bed, or are beached 

 up in heaps of loose shells and rubbish in a direction against the sea, as in H, Fig. 1." 



Fig. 1. iiuls uibide Estuuiy at the mouth of the buttalo Kiver, bnii»u h.aliiaiia, (Jape of 

 Good Hope. H. Bed of Shells = to TI. in Fia:. 2. 



Fig. 2. Order of Super-position of Deposits, Buttuio liiver. 



"LIST OF FOSSILS OBTAINED BY MR. McKAY, OF BRITISH 

 KAFFRARIA." 



" Bed A. — All the animal remains of this group are presumed to be Reptilian. No. I. 

 Section of Vertebrae. No. 2. Vertebrae and ribs. No. 3. Skull of Dimjnodwiy 

 tusks directed forward, inward, and downward ; the mouth and temporal fossae 

 analogous to the existing turtle. No. 4. Bones of the feet, ribs, etc. No. 5. 

 Part of a Skull. No. 6 and 7. Vertebrae and ribs. No. 8. Jaw with teeth 

 placed in a groove. No. 9. Upper and lower jaw with teeth, one of which is 

 serrated. No. 10. Jaw with teeth in distinct sockets, large teeth to the front, 

 and gradually diminishing in size towards the posterior part of the jaw; remark- 

 able for the massiveness of the jaw in proportion to the size of the teeth. No. 11. 

 Small jaw with a row of cylindrical teeth and four supplemental teeth compressed 

 and serrated on the anterior edge only; some elements of the lower jnw. No. 12. 

 Vertebral column of a small reptile ; some bones of the legs and sternum. No. 13. 

 Skull with teeth in a groove. No. 14 and 15. Skulls. No. 17. Serrated tooth ; 

 two other teeth of this description in my possession are deeply implanted ia 

 distinct sockets in a massive jaw ; they are serrated on both edges — an at- 

 tempt was made to clear the serration on the other edge of No. 17, but it was 

 found too brittle, and it shivered with the lightest tap. No. 18. Tooth; the 

 cast of the point of the tooth suggests indentation on the edge of a right angle, 

 rather than projecting serrations ; it was associiited with No. 17. No. 19, 

 Part of skull and lower jaw teeth, some of which are serrated. Concentrie 

 ring-marks are visible in section. No. 20. Rib > No. 21. Tibia? No. 22. Ribs 

 and bones of the feet or paddles } No. 23. Bones of the feet fragments of 

 the jaw and teeth, etc. Lastly. Many plant impressions, ripple marks^ and cast 

 of rain drops. 



^ Since the above was written, Mr. McKay has discovered a fragment of native 

 pottery in a layer of existing shells in the bed G. 



