240 Geological Society: — 



dcvpedon was Triassic. He objected to the use of the term "poiki- 

 litic," which was merely indicative of the spotted character of the 

 beds, and protested against the mingling of the Permian and Triassic 

 series. 



2. " On the Locality of a new Specimen of Hyperodapedon on the 

 South Coast of Devon." By W. Whitaker, Esq., F.G.S. 



The author described the section presented by the South Devon 

 coast westward from the great landslip at Dowlands. The cliffs here 

 show Rhaetic beds passing down into lied Marls of Upper Triassic 

 age, which have greenish layers among them, favouring the view that 

 the Rhajtic beds might as well be classed with the Trias as with 

 the Lias. Below these beds are Bed Marls and Sandstones; and at 

 Budlcigh Salterton a bed of quartzite pebbles occurs. West of the 

 Exe the cliffs are of sandstone with layers of breccia ; and beyond 

 Dawlish the breccia gradually predominates, until towards Teign- 

 mouth the cliffs are almost wholly formed of it. This breccia forms 

 the base of the New Red of Devonshire. The thickness of the whole 

 series is several thousand feet ; Mr. Pengelly estimates that it may 

 be four miles or more. The jaw of Hyperodapedon referred to by 

 Professor Huxley was found in the sandstone on the left bank of 

 the Otter, immediately above the Budleigh-Salterton pebble-bed, in 

 the lower part of the uppermost bed of sandstone, which, with the 

 other sandstones and marl-beds, the author regarded as belonging 

 to the Keuper. He referred to the opinions of Mr. Pengelly and Mr. 

 Ormerod, and suggested that the breccias might possibly be of Per- 

 mian age. 



Sir Chaeles Lyell, referring to the occurrence of Hyperodapedon 

 with Stagonolepis and Telerpeton in the uppermost sandstones of 

 Elgin, remarked that he came to the conclusion in 1859 that these 

 beds were Triassic, and that Mr. Symonds had in that year stated 

 them to be the equivalents of the Rhynchosauriis-sandstones of 

 Shropshire. 



Professor Ramsay regarded the Red Marls and Sandstones de- 

 scribed by Mr. Whitaker as Keuper, and the lower members of his 

 section as of Permian age. He confirmed Prof. Huxley's views as 

 to the existence of a great extent of continental land at the epoch 

 when Hyperodapedon and the Reptiles associated with it were in 

 existence, and remarked that these Reptiles inhabited the shores of 

 the great salt lakes of the Triassic land. He objected to the use of 

 the term " poikilitic," and remarked that if the idea embodied by 

 Prof. Huxley under it were to be accepted, it would have to be 

 extended to all terrestrial deposits from the Silurian period to the 

 present day. 



Dr. Gunthee referred to his description of Sphenodon (=Hat- 

 teria), and remarked that in that genus there are uncinate processes 

 on the ribs, as in Birds, which do not exist in Hyperodapedon. He 

 remarked upon the resemblance of the beak in the latter to that of 

 the Tortoises, especially Trionycr, and suggested that the jaws might 

 have had a horny covering. 



