G, H, Twelve vertebræ remaining in the rock, with which they are almost covered, especially towards the extremity.
The place, where these bones lay, was frequently covered with sea-sand, to the depth of two feet, and seldom quite bare; which was the occasion of their being rarely seen: but being informed that they had been discovered by some people two or three years ago, we had one of them with us upon the spot, who told us, that when he first saw it, it was intire, and had two short legs on that part of the vertebræ wanting towards the head. Altho’ we could not suspect the veracity of this person, we thought he was mistaken; for we had hitherto taken it for a fish. But when we took it up, and found the os femoris above-mentioned, we had cause to believe his relation true, and to rank this animal amongst those of the lizard kind: by the length (something more than ten feet) it seems to have been an allegator; but I shall be glad to have thy opinion about it.
I am thy friend,
William Chapman Sen.
The bones were sent up, and are herewith presented to the Royal Society by
J. Fothergill.
XCIII. De rariori quadam Orthoceratitis Specie, in Suecia reperta, tractatus; in literis a Nicholao de Himsel, M. D. Riga Livono, ad Gul. Watson, M. D. R.SS.
Read May 11, 1758.
ORthoceratiti recti in loco quodam Kelwika dicto, prope Fahlunam in Dahlia, reperti. Inhærebant lapidi cineracei coloris calcareo, variæ magnitudinis orthoceratiti, quorum portiones hic delineatas describo.
Vide Tab. [XXIII.]
Fig. A. Orthoceratitis portio, cujus pars inferior saxo adhuc adhæret; ex lapide calcareo constans lente in apicem decrescens. Licet ex parvis ejus fragmentis judicari possit, cylindrum esse orthoceratitem, ea tamen si conjunguntur, verum formant conum, et mihi videtur ex crassitie siphonis, orthoceratitem hunc conicum duos fere superavisse pedes. Vidi orthoceratitem in alio lapide calcareo, quem etiam ibidem loci, Kelwikæ, reperi, longitudine duorum cum semisse pedum: sed impossibile erat, integrum eum excutere, nimis enim fragile erat. Est portio hæc orthoceratitis testa sua ambiente vestita in a b c. Quinque conspiciuntur articuli, thalami quondam, arctissime sibi invicem insidentes, per quos a latere procedit sipho m n sat crassus, qui in omnibus fere, quas possideo portionibus orthoceratitarum, a centro semper remotus, hic ad peripheriam positus conspicitur. Sipho admodum lente decrescit, ex quo etiam de longitudine coni hujus judicare licet. Crustæ vel testæ a b c interior pars, quæ articulos tegit, crysstallina est, ex spati crystallis tenuioribus irregularibus constans.