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Dr. Woodward’s paper, which is herewith published with his 
consent, is as follows : 
On some fossil reptilian bones from the state of Rio Grande 
do Sul by A. Smith Woodward, LL. D., F. R. S., of 
the British Museum. 
A few fossil reptilian bones discovered by Dr. Jango Fischer in 1902 at Santa 
Maria da Bocca do Monte (Serrito), in Rio Grande do Sul, are of much interest. 
They not only appear to determine the geological age of the’formation from which 
they were obtained, but also foreshadow the discovery of an early Mesozoic South 
American land-fauna, which has long beon expected. They comprise three nearly 
complete vertebral centra and a fragment of a fourth centrum, with one digit of 
four phalanges and a separate ungual phalange. The bones were found 
together under such circumstances that they probably all belong to one in. 
dividual. 
The vertebral centra are remarkable (I) for thsir very short antero-posterior 
extent, (II) for the deeply ovoid shipe of their articular ends, and (II) for the con- 
siderable constriction of their sides. The best preserved specimen (figs. 1, la) is 
evidently not much crushed and shows that both the articular ends are slightly 
concave. It also exhibits the characteristic constriction of the sides with the 
prominent anterior rin which bears a deeply ovoid, rounded boss (c) for the arti- 
culation of the capitulum of a double-headed rib. The lower part of the same rim 
is bevelled in such a way (x) as to suggest that aa intervertebral wedge-bone 
may originally havo been present. The base of the noural arch (n. a.) still re- 
mains and proves that it is firmly fused with the centrum, not merely articulated 
by suture, 
The neural canal proluces a shallow groove in the contrum. This archi ex- 
tends nearly from end to end of the centrum, but leaves a slight rim of the 
latter projecting in front. Its lateral portion is producel somewhat dowawards 
and ends in a deeply-ovoid, rounded boss (t), for tho articulation of tho tuber- 
culum of the rib already mentioned. It is thus evidont that the rib must 
have been stout, deep, and antero-posteriorly compressel at its double-headed 
upper end. 
One of the more imperfect vertebral ccntra is essentially identical with that 
just described, showing a similar rib articulation and a space for a wedge- 
bone, The other good specimen (figs. 2, 2a), however, is somewhat smaller, with 
no clear indication of a facette on the cen‘rum either fora rib or for «1 wedge- 
bone. Its articular ends are slightly concave. The base of the neural arch seems 
to show that it agrees with that of the other vertebra in being fused with the 
centrum, while the neural canal similarly forms a shallow groove. 
The first type of vertobra (fig. 1) obviously belongs to the cervical, while the 
second (fig. 2) must be referred to the dorsal region. If, therefore, these speci- 
mens represent one and the same individual, the neck must have been compara- 
tively large and stout, doubtless for the support of a heavy head. 
