[82] Ueber einen neuen Fund von _Ichthyosaurus_ in Würtemberg. _Neues Jahrbuch f. Mineralogie_, 1892, vol. ii. pp. 87-90. The same author has published a valuable monograph, with beautiful plates, entitled _Die Ichthysaurier der Süddentschen Trias- und Jura-Ablagerungen_. 4to. Tübingen, 1891.
In the present year (1892) there has been discovered in the Lias of Würtemberg the skeleton of an Ichthyosaur, in which the outline of the fleshy parts is completely preserved (see lower figure). The reader will see from the figure that the tail-fin is very large, and the backbone appears to run into the lower lobe. Such a tail-fin as this impression indicates must have resembled that of the shark's, only it is wider; but the shark's backbone runs into the _upper_ lobe. Sir Richard Owen long ago foretold the existence of this appendage, and the discovery, coming now (when his life is despaired of), adds one more tribute to his genius. Behind the triangular fin on the back comes a row of horny excrescences reminding us of those of the crested newt.
As Dr. Fraas remarks, this discovery shows how closely analogous Ichthyosaurs were in form to fishes, and further justifies the title of "fish-lizards." He considers that they did _not_ visit the shore. The reader will find much valuable matter in Mr. Lydekker's paper, above referred to. The following extract refers to the question of their reproduction: "It has long been known that certain large skeletons of Ichthyosaurs from the Upper Lias of Holzmaden, in Würtemberg, and elsewhere, are found with the skeletons of one or more much smaller individuals enclosed partly or entirely within the cavity of the ribs [a specimen is figured]. Of such skeletons there are four in the museum at Stuttgart, two in that of Tübingen, one at Munich, and others in Gent and Paris. Of these, two in Stuttgart, as well as the two in Tübingen, contain but a single young skeleton, while one of those at Stuttgart has four, the Munich specimen five, and the remaining Stuttgart example upwards of seven young. Some of these young and, presumably, foetal Ichthyosaurs have the head turned towards the tail of the parent, while in others it is directed the other way. That these young have not been swallowed by the larger individuals within whose ribs they are found is pretty evident from several considerations. In the first place, their skeletons are always perfect. Then they never exceed one particular size, and always belong to the same species as the parent. Moreover, it would appear to be a physical impossibility for one Ichthyosaur of the size of the Stuttgart specimen to have had seven smaller ones of such dimensions in its stomach at one and the same time. We may accordingly take it for granted that these imprisoned skeletons were those of foetuses. It is, however, very remarkable, that, so far as we are aware, all the skeletons with foetuses belong to one single species; thus suggesting that this particular species was alone viviparous."
