310 
THE IGUANODON 
juxtaposition with the corresponding bones of the 
leg, in a bed of soft clay, which admitted of the 
bones being cleared without injury, has afforded cer- 
tain data for the restoration of a limb of the colossal 
Iguanodon. A considerable portion of the shaft 
of the thigh bone, much broken and compressed, 
was found at a little distance from the inferior ex- 
tremity; but the latter, with its condyles, is in good 
preservation ; and the leg bones, though somewhat 
distorted, are very entire. These bones present the 
true lacertian characters, and approximate more 
nearly to the Iguana, than to the Monitor and other 
related genera. The inferior portion of the 
femur is represented PI. IV. figs. 3, 4. ; the circum- 
ference at the condyles is 24 inches. The tibia 
is figured PI. II. fig. 8. ; it is 31 inches long. Fig. 7* 
PI. II. represents the fibula, which is 27^ inches in 
length. If these be compared with the corre- 
sponding bones of the recent Iguana, they give to 
the original animal a total length of 60 feet. A 
specimen of about one third of the shaft of a femur, 
in my cabinet, is still more gigantic, being 23 inches 
in circumference. 
Bones of the feet and toes. Some very large 
tarsal and carpal bones, corresponding to those of 
the crocodile, rather than to those of the lizards, 
have been discovered, yet their enormous size seems 
to render it probable tliat they are derived from the 
Iguanodon, or Megalosaurus : the largest in my pos- 
session is inches long ; circumference of the tarsal 
extremity, 13 inches. Of the phalangeal bones 
two very distinct kinds are met with ; the one re- 
sembling the phalanges of tlie crocodile, tlie other 
