Record

RefNoMS/251/20
LevelItem
TitleLetter from William Daniel Conybeare to William Buckland, Corpus Christi College, Oxford
DateMarch 1821 [? watermark 1819]
DescriptionConybeare declares his job done and that the creature is a cross between an ichthyosaur and a crocodile with a beautiful series of links between saurians. He has a paper almost complete with drawings by De la Beche and he has offered this to the Geological Society. It contains comments on the ichthyosaur, correcting deficiencies in Sir Everard Home's accounts. Conybeare commences a long and detailed discussion of his specimens, noting that he cannot get head bones of the plesiosaur, and comparing the plesiosaur's similarities and differences to the ichthyosaur and crocodile. He believes that speedy publication will secure the discovery for the two authors.

In a postscript, Conybeare notes that the Geological Society has accepted his paper - 'I expect Sir E H will be as mad as can be...' He describes the three plates which will accompany it.

With integral sketches of fossils.

The account of the partial plesiosaur fossil from the collection of Colonel Thomas James Birch was published as 'Notice of the discovery of a new fossil animal, forming a link between the ichthyosaurus and crocodile, together with general remarks on the osteology of the ichthyosaurus', by H T De la Beche and W D Conybeare, Transactions of the Geological Society, v.5 (1821) pp.559-594.
Extent3p
FormatManuscript
PhysicalDescriptionOn paper
AccessStatusOpen
Fellows associated with this archive
CodePersonNameDates
NA8182Conybeare; William Daniel (1787 - 1857)1787 - 1857
Add to My Items

    Collection highlights

    Browse the records of some of our collections, which cover all branches of science and date from the 12th century onwards. These include the published works of Fellows of the Royal Society, personal papers of eminent scientists, letters and manuscripts sent to the Society or presented at meetings, and administrative records documenting the Society's activities since our foundation in 1660.

    The Royal Society

    The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of
    the world's most eminent scientists and is the
    oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.
    Registered charity number 207043

    Website design ©CalmView



    CONTACT US

    + 44 207 451 2500
    (Lines open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. Excludes bank holidays)

    6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

    Email Us →

    SUBSCRIBE

    Subscribe to our newsletters to be updated with the
    latest news on innovation, events, articles and reports.

    Subscribe →

    © CalmView