On the Osteology of Nyctosaurus. 157 



the present specimen of Nyctosaurus, I believe that this number will be 

 found common to all the Kansas pterodactyls. I think that Marsh must 

 have been in error in ascribing but five to the sacrum. Should he, how- 

 ever, be correct I would suggest the name N. leptodactylus for the present 

 species! 



In view of the foregoing I offer the following as the synonymy of 

 this genus and species : 



NYCTOSAURUS. 



Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci., xii, p. 480, Dec, 1876. Nyctodactylus 

 Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci., xxii, p. 343, April, 1881 ; ibid., xxvii, p. 423, 

 May, 1884. Williston, Kans. Univ. Quart., i, p. 2, 5, 1893; Journ. Anat- 

 omy, i, p. 297, 1902 ; Journ. Geology, x, p. 520, July-Aug. 1902. 



NYCTOSAURUS GRACILIS. 



Pteranodon gracilis Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci., xi, p. 508, June, 1876. 



Nyctosaurus gracilis Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci. xii, p. 480, Dec. 1876. 



Nyctodactylus gracilis Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci. xxi, p. 343, April, 

 1881; Williston, Kans. Univ. Quart., i, p. ii, 1893; Zittel's Paleontology 

 (Eastman), vol. ii, p. 255, Fig. 361, 1902. 



(?) Pteranodon comptus Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci. xi, 508, June, 1876; 

 Williston, Kans. Univ. Quart, i, p. 11, June, 1893. 



(?) Pteranodoti nanus Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci., April, 1881, p. 343; 

 Williston, Kans. Univ. Quart, i, p. 11, June, 1893. 



Of the remaining species of Kansas pterodactyls, six have been 

 described, two of which, P. umbrosus and P. harpyia Cope, are admittedly 

 identical with previously described forms, leaving ingens, occidentalis, velox, 

 and longiceps Marsh. No real attempt was made to separate P. longi- 

 ceps from those previously named, nor could there have been, since only 

 the skull was known in this species to the describer, while the skull was 

 not known in either of the other species. It may be identical with 

 either occidentalis or velox. possibly with both. The characters given by 

 Marsh to distinguish the species have little value, though I believe there 

 are three distinct ones of the genus, known from the Kansas chalk. 

 Two of these species are at once distinguishable by the structure of the 

 humerus, especially of its radial or lateral crest. In P. ingens this crest 

 is rounded and obtuse; in one or the other of the smaller forms it is more 

 elongate and of a different shape. Furthermore, among the smaller 

 specimens there appear to be two different types of terminal wing pha- 

 lange, one nearly straight and the other curved falciform, as in P. ingens. 

 If the smaller form with the curved phalange should prove not to be the 



