10 
ANNALS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 
similar indications of external surface dividing it fore and aft. Its 
anterior border lies in approximation to the ends of the tibia and 
fibula, and is scalloped opposite to their articulating surfaces ; on the 
fibular side it extends outwards and slightly forward for the space 
of 5 millimetres. The posterior or distal edge describes while in a 
line with the leg bones a curve, which, commencing at the inner end 
of the anterior edge, is interrupted only by an emargination opposite 
the interosseous space ; passing outwards it turns suddenly forwards 
and, with a procurved course, joins the anterior edge at an acute angle.* 
There does not appear to be any room for doubt that we have here 
a massive coalesced astragalo-naviculare. 
The apparent preservation of soft tissue within the mandible 
naturally tends to confirm a suspicion already entertained that sundry 
patches of a thin dark-coloured substance lying flat on both sides 
of the slab may be remains of integument ; two of them appear on 
the obverse, three on the reverse, the largest an irregular rectangle. 
All but one present a perfectly smooth exterior which may be sup- 
posed to be that of the outer aspect of the derm. The fifth, which 
apparently lies with its inferior surface upwards, is densely beset with 
minute papilliform tubercles, possibly dislodged from the pores 
opening on the surface of the bone. From the presence of these 
fragments it may perhaps be gathered that the head of the Noto- 
chelone was covered with smooth skin which, as we have seen, left 
on the bone beneath it no sign of its former existence. 
A satisfactory discussion of the relations of Notochelone with 
the existing types of its order is simply impossible where the necessary 
literary help is not available in matters of research. In such circum- 
stances one must be content with describing faithfully and as lucidly 
as one may whatever characters the subjects have appeared to 
possess and to leave to others better equipped to put them to a 
higher use. But it is almost equally difficult to leave a close exam- 
ination of these relics without having acquired a general perception 
of their zoological standing, and even that may be worth stating. 
The conclusion from which we can hardly escape is that this 
reptile is one of those generalized forms which set to the systematic 
zoologist so many problems difficult of solution, forms which cannot 
be without violence introduced into any extant family as constituted. 
* Not indicated in the drawing. 
