OF A MEGALANIAN GENUS FROM LORD HOWE’S ISLAND. 
479 
above-described portion of pelvis is 6§ inches; the fractured ischio-pubic end is 
3^ inches. The size of this part of the fossil skeleton agrees with that indicated by 
the Meiolanian trunk-vertebrae, which hardly differ, save in size, from those pre¬ 
viously described and figured in the type-species of the Megalanian family.* The 
subjects of a former paper indicated a pentadaetyle and unguiculate character of 
one, probably the fore, pair of limbs in Megalanici. 
Geological Appendix. 
“ Lord Howe’s Island is formed of three elevated basaltic masses, connected by 
low-lying grounds of blown coral-sand formation. The latter consists almost entirely 
of fine rounded grains and comminuted fragments of corals and. shells.” “ The coral- 
sand rock is, in some places, very hard, but in others soft and easily disintegrated; 
and was found to consist, when analysed, of carbonate of lime, with traces of phos¬ 
phoric acid.’t 
The authorities of the Geological Department of the Museum of Natural History 
report that: “The matrix in which the remains” (Meiolanian) “forwarded by 
Dr. Fitzgerald were embedded corresponds exactly with the description given by 
Mr. H. Wilkinson.” “It consists of the minutely comminuted and semi-rounded 
remains of coral fragments, shells, and spines and plates of Echini, with occasional 
grains of volcanic substances, such as augite, magnetite, and altered lava-fragments. 
It appears to be in a great measure simply an agglomerate, perhaps of an HColianJ 
nature ; for a cementing medium is only partially present. So little cohesion is there 
between the particles, which are of a tolerably uniform size, that it was with the 
greatest difficulty slices sufficiently thin for the microscope could be prepared.” 
Mr. T. Davies, F.G.S., of the “ Department of Mineralogy, Natural History 
Museum,” who has kindly examined slides, writes :—“ The whole is cemented by a 
clear crystalline calcite, which does not, however, entirely fill the interstitial spaces, 
but is sufficient to cement together adjoining grains. The fragments appear to owe 
their rounded aspect not alone to attrition, but probably partly to the solvent action 
which yields the crystalline calcite for the partially cementing medium.” 
“ The block of coral-rock in which portions of the remains were entombed contained 
a number of irregular cavities ranging from less than an inch in size up to as much as 
six and nine inches in diameter. These cavities were partially, or sometimes wholly, 
filled with a deep chocolate-brown soil, having all the appearance of the usual rich 
volcanic soils of the Australian continent. By dissolving the soluble parts in water, 
a residue of volcanic products was left.” 
* 1 Phil. Trans.,’ 1880, vol. 171, Plates 34 and 35. 
t “ Report,” by Mr. Henry Wilkinson, of the Department of Mines, Sydney. 
+ This term signifies “wind ” as the moving- agent in contradistinction to “aqueous” and “ igneous” 
forces. 
