210 Sir Everard Home’s account of the 
In a specimen in the possession of Mr. De la Beche, the 
bones of the sternum are met with in their relative situation 
respecting the surrounding bones, affording a satisfactory 
proof that we are acquainted with all the parts of which the 
sternum is composed. In this specimen, the ribs can be 
traced to a greater extent than in any hitherto examined ; 
they are not joined to the sternum by cartilages, but, as in the 
camelion and crocodile, are composed wholly of bone ; and 
what is peculiar to themselves, each rib consists of one piece, 
having no intermediate joint : it describes a considerable curve 
in coming forward, and the outer side of the rib at that part 
is broader and stronger than any other. Their great length 
gives considerable depth to the chest. 
In this specimen the bones are very small, but as they are 
completely formed, we must consider them to belong to a full 
grown animal. 
When the vertebrae of the middle of the back in this spe- 
cimen, are compared with those of the largest size that have 
been met with, it would appear that different species of the 
animal, were of very different sizes. In this specimen the 
diameter of a dorsal vertebra is only of an inch ; in the 
largest that has been preserved it is g inches. 
The drawing of this specimen is made by Mr. De la 
Beche. 
A specimen belonging to Colonel Birch, which in compli- 
ance with the wishes of my friend Mr. De la Beche has 
been brought under my observation, contains nearly the en- 
tire skeleton of this extraordinary animal, and shows the im- 
portant fact, that it had posterior as well as anterior feet ; as it 
gives a posterior view, the bones forming the pelvis cannot be 
