| ( 964 ) |
| at the ƒide of a
Well near the aforeƒaid Mr. South's Parƒonage-Houƒe,
where it had ƒerv'd for a Landing-place to thoƒe that drew
water ; but upon removal, the Under ƒide exhibited this unuƒual
Form, and was accordingly taken notice of by that worthy Gentleman,
and laid up in his Garden for Curioƒity-ƒake. Where the
remaining part of the Stone, which contain'd the Upper part and
Continuation of the Sceleton, or that which was the other ƒide,
and tally'd with it, may be, is now utterly unknown : but upon view,
I am perƒuaded, it cannot be reckon'd Human, but ƒeems to
be a Crocodile or Porpoiƒe. There are Sixteen
Vertebrae of the Back and Loyns very plain and diƒtinct,
with their Proceƒses and intermediate Cartilages, Nine whole or
partial Ribs of the Left-ƒide, the Os Sacrum, Ilium in ƒitu,
and two Thigh-Bones diƒplac'd a little, the Beginnings of
the Tibia and Fibula of the Right-Leg; on one Corner
there ƒeem to be the Veƒtigia of a Foot with four
of the five Toes, and a little way off an entire Toe, now left
perfect in the Stone.- there are no leƒs than Eleven Joints of
the Tail, and the Cartilages between them of a White Colour diƒtinguiƒhable
from the reƒt. We ƒhould impoƒe upon our Senƒes,
to queƒtion, whether theƒe be the real Reliques of an
Animal; for the very Bones themƒelves are now to be ƒeen
as plain'y, as if preƒerv'd in an Egyptian Mummy ; a
very little while ago, the Society had a Draught of a Crocodile,
tho' a ƒmall one, found af-ter the like manner inclos'd in
Stone, from a Quarry in the Mountains of upper Germany. I ƒuppoƒe
the ƒame Reaƒon accounts for both and all the reƒt of
theƒe kind of Foƒƒils; and I pleaƒe my ƒelf
in an ocular E-vidence, and ƒo great a Confirmation of what I
had the Honour to preƒent to the Royal Society, in a
late Diƒcourƒe, where I hinted at a Solution of some
obvious |