392 
G. J. DE FEJERVARY 
on the seventh vertebra only quite a small double-headed talon is yet to 
be seen, bearing no real hypapophysis. The upper (dorsal) border 
of the attachment surface for the hypapophysis on the talon of our fossil 
cervical vertebra is equally concave, whilst the lower border lying in one 
level presents the outline of a parabolical edge, thus lending the shape of 
a heart to the whole surtace of attachment for the, as yet unkown, hypa¬ 
pophysis. Whether this formation may be regarded as the natural one 
or as a result of fossilization, by which the lower edge may have worn 
down and thus deprived this part of the talon of its eventually original 
angularly hollowed 1 shape, cannot be Stated, although the latter suppo¬ 
sition appears to be probable. The height of the mentioned surface of 
attachment, measured on the median line, is of 4*45 mm. The distance 
between the lower edge of the ball and the point of the upper median con¬ 
cavity of the surface of attachment on the talon measures 3*4 mm: this 
basal portion of the talon is very strongly developed, slightly protruding 
in the caudal direction, whilst moderately broadeniug in the ventral one; 
on its lower half, corresponding to the median line a small serration is 
visible ; 
The upper arch is lender; the anterior border above the spinal canal, 
on the left side especially, is rather fractured, however the inwards bent 
arch, formed by it, cannot have been of any considerable depth. Proc. spi¬ 
nosus and proc. obliqui posteriores are joined by a tolerably straight line, 
therefore almost completely covering the spinal canal from above. The 
excavations under proc. obliqui posteriores suggest plainly distinguishable 
foramina intervertebralia . Proc. spinosus is of characteristic formation; 
whereas in the Varanus species examined by me its front edge presents 
a convex, straight or only slightly concave outline, this in the fossil 
specimen is slender despite its massive structure, its front edge concave, 
the dorsal one being consequently much shorter than with the other 
species here mentioned (see PL I, Fig. 8). This dorsal part is very 
massive, slightly rising towards its caudal end, gradually broadening, 
and ending in a very stout, most massive point (rather worn down on the 
fossil) ; this point is on both sides joined to the posterior proc. obliqui by 
a very shallow concave line, and thus, seen from behind, gradually widens, 
so that the upper arch in this section, viewed from the back, appears under 
a triangular form ; in this triangle a ± -shaped inflation may be detected, 
its basal part placed above the spinal canal, the median one thickening 
by degrees and forming the back point of the proc. spinosus. The proc. 
transversi are broken on both sides quite close to their base, their form 
As in V. griseus. 
