The Feathered Reptile of Solenhofen. 367 



nous solids give off a different quality of light wlien tliey are 

 differently hea/ted, and luminous gases give off the sanie kind 

 of liglit at all temperatures."* The spectra of gases are quite 

 as interesting as those of the metals ; hydrogen, for example, 

 giving a red and a blue band, and nitrogen beautiful violet 

 stripes. 



THE FEATHERED EEPTILE OF SOLENHOFEN. f 



Last summer M. Witte of Hanover, called the attention of M. 

 A. Wagner to a slab of the well known Solenhofen lithographic 

 slate, about one and a quarter square feet in size, containing 

 fossil remains of an extraordinary and bewildering character. 

 The skull, neck, and both hands were wanting, but the greater 

 part of the dorsal vertebras and all belonging to the tail were 

 well preserved. The humerus and fore arm, consisting of 

 radius and ulna were present on both sides. " At the anterior 

 extremity of each fore arm there is a broad short bone which 

 is injured." The pelvis, more like that of a Pterodactyl than a 

 bird, is imperfect, the right side only remaining. The hinder 

 extremity is complete on the left side ; on the right only the 

 thigh and shank remain. The thigh bone is strong but not 

 long-, and the shank not perceptibly divided into tibia and 

 fibula. The tarsus consists of a single powerful bone shorter 

 than the shank, and having its lower extremity widened, and 

 bearing three articular processes to which as many toes are 

 attached. The latter are of moderate length, and armed with 

 strong hooked claws. Except to the comparative anatomist, 

 these singular remains might present nothing striking, but 

 the description proceeds to tell us that the anterior limbs and 

 tail were covered with, feathers, which have left their impres- 

 sions in well marked lines. "From the short broad bone 

 which lies close to the extremity of each fore arm there issues 

 a radiating fan of feathers, by which two feathered wings are 

 produced, having their external outline curved like a bow." The 

 tail is also feathered, but the feathers are shorter than those of 

 the wings, and instead of radiating from the end of the tail 

 they spring from both sides throughout its length, starting at 

 a small angle, and forming a "leaf like or oval group." Before 

 the discovery of this fossil, Yon Meyer described a feather from 

 the same quarries, which he conjectured to have belonged to a 

 bird, as it was not to be distinguished by any special peculiarity. 

 On receiving the account of M. Witters investigation, he how- 

 ever came to the conclusion that the feather he had seen must 



* Lecture at Royal Institution reprinted in Chemical News. 

 f See Annals of Natural Ristory, April and May 1862. 



