The Ornithosauria: An elementary study of the bones of Pterodactyles made from fossil remains found in the Cambridge Upper Greensand, and arranged in the Woodwardian Museum of the University of CambridgeSeeley, H. G. (Harry Govier)
Science
The Ornithosauria: An elementary study of the bones of Pterodactyles made from fossil remains found in the Cambridge Upper Greensand, and arranged in the Woodwardian Museum of the University of Cambridge
Seeley, H. G. (Harry Govier)
Pterosauria
On nearing the distal end, the angle of the inner side of the shaft
becomes more depressed; and the articulation becomes an elongated oval,
slightly convex transversely and convex in length so as to extend
distally in a curve in such way that the articulation looks downward
and outward from an aspect of the bone exactly opposite to the aspect
from which the proximal articulation looks upward and inward. Hence
the two articular surfaces are sub-parallel; but the distal one at
its distal termination is bent inward, so as to make the adjacent
lateral outline of the bone concave on the inside at its termination.
The articulation does not cover the most proximal part of the distal
surface.
SECOND PHALANGE.
Pl. 7.
Case. Comp. Tablet. Specimen.
=J= _b_ 7 1-14
On this tablet are mounted 14 specimens. Nos. 1 to 9 are examples of
the proximal end of the second phalange. If there were more than two
phalanges, of which there is no osteological evidence, it is possible
that proximal ends of succeeding phalanges may be included with these.
They all however resemble each, other so closely as to lend no support
to such a supposition. Nos. ?10 to ?14 have been mounted with the
proximal ends because they appear to be portions of the middle of the
shaft of the second phalange; they indicate a rapid distal attenuation,
favouring the idea of there being but two phalanges.
The proximal end of the shaft has the outer side flattened, rarely
concave, commonly slightly convex; the inner side being much more
inflated, and not dissimilar in form to the inner side of the first
phalange. Proximally the bone widens and one lateral outline extends
outward in a curve, on the inner side of which, under the proximal
articulation, is placed the pneumatic foramen. The elongated oval
articular surface is concave from side to side and concave in length;
it does not extend in length so far as the straight side outline,
exterior to it being a crescentic flattened or convex area. The distal
end attenuates more rapidly in some specimens than others, and appears
in Nos. 11, 12, and 14 eventually to become cylindrical; but none of
the specimens show its distal termination.
The phalanges of the wing-finger attain a grand development in length
which is not paralleled in Birds, nor surpassed in Bats. In the Ostrich
there are three phalanges in the wing-finger, while in Ornithopterus
there are two joints, and in other German Pterodactyles four joints.
The terminal joint in the Ostrich is a claw, but in Pterodactyle the
terminal joint appears to be unarmed as in ordinary birds. The form of
the bones in being compressed from side to side is more bird-like than
bat-like. But the claws in their compression from side to side are more
like the bat than the bird.
DISTAL END OF METACARPAL
or Metatarsal Bones.
Pl. 6.
Case. Comp. Tablet. Specimen.
=J= _b_ 7 1-14
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