106 FOSSIL REPTILIA OF THE 



Amongst the portions of the skeleton recovered by Mr. Bensted, were fortunately 

 a portion of one tooth and the cast of a second in the matrix. These were recognised 

 by him as being the teeth of the Iguanodon, which had previously been discovered in 

 the Wealden of Tilgate Forest,* and which had been described by Dr. Mantell in a 

 Paper printed in the 'Philosophical Transactions' for 1825; where that assiduous 

 explorer of the Wealden acknowledges the mode by which he obtained the required 

 information respecting them. 



" As these teeth were distinct from any that had previously come under my notice, 

 I felt anxious to submit them to the examination of persons whose knowledge and 

 means of observation were more extensive than my own. I therefore transmitted 

 specimens to some of the most eminent naturalists in this country and on the continent. 

 But although my communications were acknowledged with that candour and liberality 

 which constantly characterise the intercourse of scientific men, yet no light was thrown 

 upon the subject, except by the illustrious Baron Cuvier, whose opinions will best appear 

 by the following extract from the correspondence with which he honoured me : — 



" ' Ces dents me sont certainement inconnues ; elles ne sont point d'un animal 

 carnassier, et cependant je crois qu'elles appartiennent, vu leur peu de complication, 

 leur dentelure sur les bords, et la couche mince d'email qui les revet, a I'ordre des 

 reptiles. A I'apparance exterieure on pourrait aussi les prendre pour des dents de 

 poissons analogues aux tetrodons, ou aux diodons : mais leur structure interieure est 

 forte differente de celles-la. N'aurions-nous pas ici un animal nouveau ! un reptile 

 herbivore ? et de meme qu'actuellement chez les mammiferes terrestres, c'est parmi 

 les herbivores que Ton trouve les especes a plus grande taille, de meme aussi chez les 

 reptiles d'autrefois, alors qu'ils etaient les seuls animaux terrestres, les plus grands 

 d'entr'eux ne se seraient-ils point nourris de vegetaux ? Une partie des grands os que 

 vous possedez appartiendrait a cet animal unique, jusqu'a present, dans son genre. 

 Le temps con^rmera ou ««firmera cette idee, puisqu'il est impossible qu'on ne trouve 

 pas un jour une partie de la squelette reunie a des portions de machoires portant des 

 dents. C'est ce dernier objet surtout qu'il s'agit de rechercher avec le plus de 

 perseverance.' 



" These remarks," Dr. Mantell proceeds to say, " induced me to pursue my investi- 

 gations with increased assiduity, but hitherto they have not been attended with the 

 desired success, no connected portion of the skeleton having been discovered. Among 

 the specimens lately connected, some, however, were so perfect, that I resolved to 

 avail myself of the obliging offer of Mr. Clift (to whose kindness and liberality I hold 

 myself particularly indebted), to assist me in comparing the fossil teeth with those of 

 the recent Lacertse in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons. The result of 

 this examination proved highly satisfactory, for in an Iguana which Mr. Stutchbury 



* "The first specimens of the teeth were found by Mrs. Mantell in the coarse conglomerate of the 

 Forest, in the spring of 1822." (Mantell, 'Geology of the South-East of England,' 8vo, 1833, p. 268.) 



