842 
G. J. DE FEJ ÉRVÁR Y 
of most Beptiles have heretofore scarcely been entrusted to compe¬ 
tent hands, and a new habitat, a slightly varying stratum or even 
bones belonging to different portions of the body« yet deriving from 
the same species have furnished reasons to geopalæontologists not pos¬ 
sessing sufficient special zoological knowledge, for establishing new 
species or even new genera. However, thanks to the progress of science,, 
palaeontology has to day, as most suitable to its nature, fallen into the hands 
of zoologists, who might, it is true, be recommended slightly more expertness ■ 
in geology, palæogeography and palæoclimatology, when attempting to 
settle questions of palaeontological order. This would enable everyone to 
embrace within the narrower frame of specialized studies the fossil repre¬ 
sentatives of the corresponding class. 
The first fossil reptile of Europe which was taken for Varanus 
originated from the upper Permean and was described by Cuvier in 
1808 under the name of Monitor fossilis 1 , afterwards defined as belonging 
to the Proterosaurus genus. 2 Later, in 1853, Pomel described a V. lemanensis 
(Catal. méthod. et descriptif des Vert. foss. du Bassin de la Loire, Paris) 
which is also mentioned by H. v. Meyer in his treatise (p. 76) on the «Lacerten. 
a. d. Braunkohle d. Siebengebirges» 3 published in I860. This reptile — pre¬ 
senting dermal ossifications 4 — originated from the Oligocene strata and 
is alluded to by Baron Xopcsa in his highly valuable synoptic notes «Zur 
Kennt m d. foss. Eidechsen» 5 as an «Ahguinide Form.» So much in any case 
may be regarded as doubtless that the fossil in question has nothing in com¬ 
mon with the Varanidae. In 1862 Gaudry in his «Animaux fossiles et GéoL 
de P At tique» (Paris 1862-67) describes (p. 318—19) a «reptile du groupe 
des Varans» from the lower Pliocene of Pikermi, to which, however, he 
gives no name. The remains consist of a dorsal vertebra tolerably well, 
preserved, and perfectly figured in the «Atlas» from the ventral side and 
in profile (PL LX. fig. 3, 4). This species has been designed in 1888 by 
Weithofer as Varanus marathonensis and by Baron Xopcsa (op. cit.) 
1 Annales du Museum, Tome XII b, p. 79, PI. 10. (From Zittel, Paläozool., Bd. Ill 
München u. Leipzig, 1887—1890, p. 594). 
This genus was pro visiona]! y ranged by Lydekker (Catal. Foss. Kept. a. Amph.,. 
Part I, London 1888, p. 301) in the order of Proterosauria (= Protorosauria) established 
by Seeley, as the only member of the Proterosaur.idae family. More recently we find 
(comp. ; Grundzüge der Paläont. (Paläozool.), v. K. A. v. Zittel, neu bearb. v. Broilt, 
Koken, Schlosser, II. Abt., München u. Berlin, 1911, p. 203—204) the Proterosauridae 
with numerous genera defined as the first family of the order RJiynchocephalia. 
3 Paläontograph., Bd. VII, il. Liefer., Cassel. 
4 Never present in Varanus ! 
6 Beitr. z. Paläont. u. Geol. Öst.-Ung. u. d. Orients, Bd. XXI, Wien u. Leipzig^ 
1908, p. 33-62. 
