ZOOLOGY. 635 



rocks of Western Kansas, which wore regarded by him as indicative of 

 not only a new fjuiiily, but a new order related to the pterodactyles, 

 and disiinguished by the absence of teeth. His previous communica- 

 tions have been recently supplemented by a well illustrated article on 

 the "principal characters of American Cretaceous pterodactyles," in 

 connection with which he g:ives fi^^ures of the skull and bill from four 

 different views. The skull is certainly very remarkable, and extremely 

 different from those of all the typical pterodactyles; it is much ehm- 

 gated, the facial portion being greatly ])roduced forwards, and a sagit- 

 tal crest of enormous size, and reminding one somewhat of a helmet, 

 but compressed, extending "far backwards and somewhat upward." 

 The jaws are also quite peculiar and "project Ibrward like a huge pair 

 of pointed shears; they are very long, sharply pointed in front, and 

 entirely destitute of teeth," and indeed the margins are as smooth 

 and thin as in recent birds. It is sup])osed by Professor Marsh ihat 

 the jaws were inclosed in a horny sheath. The bones of the skull are 

 mostly extremely thin, and, "with the exception of the occipital con- 

 dyle, the lower ends of the quadrates all seem to have been pneu- 

 matic." A noteworthy feature is the existence of large antoibital 

 oi)euings near the middle of the skull and directly over the posterior 

 uares. The skull is described as having a length of 7G0 millimeters. 

 Professor jMarsh sums up the evidence furnished by the skull with the 

 statement that it differs especially from that of the other pterodactyles 

 "in (I) the absence of teeth; (2) the absenceof anterior nasal apertures, 

 distinct from the antorbital openings; (3) the presence of the elongated 

 occijiital crest"; and (4) theencasement of the jaws with a horny sheath. 

 {Am. Journ. Sc. (3), xxvii, pp. 422-426, pi. 15.) 



The classification of Lizards. — The system of the Lacertilian order 

 has been revised by IMr. G. A. Bouleuger. Commendation is given 

 of Professor Cope's work on that group as showing the best appre- 

 ciation of the characters and relationships of the families of the order. 

 Physiognomy and external characters, which were much relied upon by 

 the old naturalists, are of little consequence and very apt to mislead. 

 The anatomical characters and especially the modifications of the cran- 

 ium are the safest guides and the best clew to the affinities of the an- 

 imals. The suborders ot Professor Cope's system are reduced to two: 

 (1) the Lacertilia vera, and (2) the Ehiptogiossa, including only the 

 Chama?leons. Twenty-one families are recognized; many of these are 

 more or less modified and two new ones established, UroplatUkv for 

 Uroplatys, formerly confounded with the geckos, and Dibamida;, based 

 on Dihamits, one of the most degraded of the lizards. (Ann. d: May. 

 yat. Hist. ('"), XIV, pp. 117-122.) 



The Bullsnalc's Voice. — A large an<l well kiiown snake, although of 

 local distribution in the United States, and known in New Jersey by 



