9 
Giant Marine Reptiles were once a bundant in the Cretaceous 
seas around Australia and New Zealand continents. 
Ichthyosaurus australis is a typical Fish-lizard, having 
the limbs modified into enormous paddles by the multiplication 
of the digital bones. A fine head, paddle, and vertebrae, 
Fig. 8. Head and Part of Paddle of the Australian Fish-lizard — 
Ichthyosaurus australis McCoy. 
Lower Cretaceous. Flinders River, Queensland. 
as well as the orbit, of a Flinders River species, are exhibited 
in the Wall-case of the East Gallery. The orbital region of 
the cranium shows the sclerotic plates lying over the eye-lens 
of this Fish-lizard which enabled the reptile to change its 
focus of vision when pursuing its prey. Vertebral bones of 
the long-necked Saurians (Sauropterygia) are seen in the 
Wall-case, from Central Australia. They are probably related 
to Elasmosaurus of the Upper Cretaceous of Kansas, U.S.A. 
Fig. 9. Ideal Seascape in the Liassic Period, with Saurians. 
After E. Fraas. 
13753. — 4 
