154 proceedings of the academy op 



June 5, 1871. 



Mr. Yaux, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Nineteen members present. 



The publication of pp. 57 to 88 of the proceedings for 1871 

 was announced. 



Remarks on a Fossil Tesfudo from Wyoming — Prof. Leidy 

 directed attention to some remains of a fossil turtle discovered 

 bj Dr. Joseph K. Coi'son, U.S.A., of Fort Bridger, at Grizzly 

 Buttes, Wyoming, in association with remains of Palseosyops^ &c. 

 Most of the remains of turtles from the same locality, which 

 had been submitted to his inspection, appeared to belong to the 

 same family as our terrapins, except those referred to the geiyis 

 Trionyx. The present fossils appear to indicate a large species 

 of land tortoise, equal in size to the living Tesfudo indica of the 

 Galipagos Islands. Less characteristic fragments, apparently 

 of the same turtle, had been previously found by others, espe- 

 cially Prof. Haj'den and Dr. J. Van A. Carter. The most charac- 

 teristic specimen obtained by Dr. Corson is the anterior extremity 

 of a sternum, consisting of the greater part of both episternals 

 and a small portion of the entosternal bone. It might be supposed 

 to belong to an Emys, but its abrupt and prolonged extension for- 

 ward as in several of the living species of land tortoises, cou^Dled 

 with its great thickness and strength, leads to the opinion that it 

 really indicates a large Tesfudo. 



The gular scute impressions are defined by strong oblique 

 grooves diverging at angles of about 40°. From the outer boun- 

 dar}^ of these impressions, the episternals are directed rather 

 abruptlj' forward for an inch and three-quarters. In front, the 

 sternum forms a nearlj^ straight line three and three-quarter 

 inches wide, and is only slightly notched at the middle. 



The under surface of the episternals corresponding with the 

 position of the gular scutes, is strongly convex ; the upper sur- 

 face slopes forward to the anterior acute border. 



The gular scutes, at their posterior angle, touched upon the 

 entosternal bone. Their length in the median line is three and a 

 half inches ; at their outer border, three and a quarter inches. 

 The episternals measure three and a quarter inches in advance of 

 the entosternal plate ; their thickness reaches an inch and a half 



The species was named Testudo Corsoni, in honor of its dis- 

 coverer. 



Remarks on supposed Fossil Turtle Eggs. — Prof. Leidy then 

 exhibited a number of specimens of what he suspected were fossil 



[August 15 



