10 lU'LLKTIX 171, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF VERTEBRATE FAUNA 



Order LORICATA 

 Crocodj^lid 



A single reptile tooth in the Cumberland Cave collection was recog- 

 nized by C. W. Gilmore as belonging to a crocodile or an alligator. 

 The importance of this tooth is seen in its occurrence farther north 

 than the present limits of this group, suggesting a more eqiiable 

 climate than at present. 



Order SERPENTES 



Ophidian remains 



Several small vertebrae iu the collection were identified by Gilmore 

 as snake. There is no certain evidence in the material that more than 

 one form is represented. 



Order GALLIFORMES 

 Family TETRAONIDAE 



BONASA UMBELLUS (Linnaeus) 



A bird bone (U.S.N.M. no. 11090) in the collection was identified 

 by Dr. Wetmore (1927) as the distal portion of a left humerus belong- 

 ing to a rufi'ed grouse. 



Order INSECTIVORA 

 Family SORICIDAE 



S OR EX species 



A single maxillary fragment (U.S.N.M. no. 12468) in<'luding three 

 teeth, apparently P^ M^ and \i'~, was kindly identified by Dr. H. H. T. 

 Jackson as belonging to the long-tailed shrew, Sorex. The specimen 

 is too fragmentary to permit specific recognition, but no differences 

 could be cited to distinguish it from the living s])ecies Sorex cinereus, 

 which inhabits the region of the cave today. 



BLARINA BREVICAUDA (Say) 



Representing the short-tailed shrew are one rostral i)ortion of a 

 skull with the greater part of the dentition, two maxillary fragnt.ents 

 with teeth, and eight lower jaws. The fossil material indicates a size 

 somewhat greater than the average in Recent specimens and in several 

 characters resembles the form described by Bro\\n from the Conard 

 Fissure as BJarina h. ozarkensis (Brown, 1908, pp. 170-171, pi. 15). 

 The heel on tbe last lower molar is reduced as in the Arkansas form 

 but not more so than in some modern individuals of B. brericauda. 

 The presence of this heel clearly separates the Cumberland form 



