Identifier: quarterlyjournal81852geol (find matches)
Title: The Quarterly journal of the Geological Society of London
Year: 1845 (1840s)
Authors: Geological Society of London
Subjects: Geology
Publisher: London (etc.)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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sive. In the absence of any certain knowledge of the essential charactersof the cranium, jaws, and mode of dentition, and with no traces of thebones composing the pectoral arch and feet, and with but faint indica-tions of the structure of the pelvis, I cannot presume to refer the fossilreptile to any existing order. The difficulties which beset the deter-mination of the natural relations of extinct reptilians, of which eventhe skull, teeth, and jaws, and many other parts of the skeleton, areknown, is strikingly exemplified by the fact, that at the present timethe Labyrinthodonts, which in England are generally considered to betrue batrachians, are regarded as saurians by many eminent foreignpalaeontologists (Von Meyer, Plieninger*, Pictet, &c.); and the * The Labyrinthodonts are divided by these authors into three genera, viz.Mastodonsaurus (of Jager); Capitosaurus, and Metopias. See Beitrage zur Pa~leontologie Wurtembergs. Stutgard, 1844.^. Q-aaxt Jciuni. Geol Soc, Vol.VIII Pl.IV
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Jos.Duj.taV 3e1 utTitk. T-t !fWistiia«.:rf5.1j-!r^.S;-.lKT. Garam. TELERPETON ELGINENSE.(Maiite)l)Prom the Old Red Sandstone of Morajslare: discoveredtjPDiiff.EsalSbl. 1852.) MANTELL ON DEVONIAN REPTILE. 105 original name of Mastodonsaurus is actually restored to the greatWurtemburg reptile, discovered by my friend Dr. Jager of Stutgard.In fact, the characters of the batrachian order are chiefly derivedfrom the soft parts, of which no traces occur in a fossil state; and itis consequently impossible to determine with precision whether re-mains of reptiles of extinct types, and of whose early condition weare in utter ignorance, are referable to saurians or to batrachians. From what has been advanced, I am led to conclude that if futurediscoveries should prove the batrachian character of the reptile of theOld Red of Scotland, the original must have nearly resembled ingeneral form, and doubtless also in its habits, the Tritons or aquaticSalamanders; but that it had a longer and broader d

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