NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 179 



Ckocodilcs pristinds, n. s. 



A posterior dorsal vertebra of mature age, but without its neural arch, ex- 

 cept the greater portion of one abutment. The body is slightly shorter, and 

 absolutely very much broader and moderately deeper than in the corresponding 

 vertebra of the Mississippi alligator. It also more rapidly narrows posteriorly, 

 but proportionately presents about the same degree of concavity from before 

 backward at the sides and beneath, where it is also in like manner smooth. 

 The anterior articular surface is of considerably greater breadth than height, 

 so as to present a transverse ovoidal outline. The measurements of the speci- 

 men are as follows : Length in the axis 23 lines ; inferiorly 19 lines. Height 

 anteriorly 19 lines ; breadth 24 lines. Estimated height posteriorly 17 lines; 

 breadth 21 lines. Thickness of neural abutment anteriorly 12 lines. I have 

 not the means of comparing the fossil with vertebrae of either species of the 

 living crocodiles of Cuba, so that I cannot say whether it belongs to one of 

 them or not. It is too large to belong to C. rhombifer, according to the dimen- 

 sions given by Dumeril, but would perhaps accord with C. acutus. As an 

 associate with a Megalonyx^ it is not unlikely that it belongs to an extinct spe- 

 cies, for which the name leading this article is proposed. 



Testudo Cubensis, n. s. 



Indicated by a portion of what I suppose to be the first costal plate of the 

 right side. It is marked by the lateral borders of the first and second vertebral 

 scutes and their transverse separation. Along the former borders the plate is 

 51 lines, and along the latter separation 16 lines. The articular border with 

 the first vertebral plate is 30 lines ; that with the second vertebral plate 14 

 lines. The articular border from the first vertebral plate to the lateral groove 

 defining the first vertebral scute is convex forward and inward, and 14 lines in 

 a direct line. A strong costal process projects from the under part of the plate 

 nearly parallel with its length. The surfaces corresponding with the vertebral 

 scutes are somewhat depressed, and generally everywhere are nearly smooth, 

 or without markings so conspicuous as to affect the investing scutes. The 

 greatest thickness of the bone is where it articulated with the first and second 

 marginal plates, measuring from 3J to 4j lines ; and where thinnest it meas- 

 ures only one line. 



No living Testudo, I believe, at present inhabits Cuba, and the fossil probably 

 indicates a species cotemporary with the Megalotnjx. 



The pamphlet above mentioned contains a notice of remains of the horse, 

 hippopotamus, and of a giant sloth, found in Cuba. 



The remains of the horse appear not to differ from the corresponding parts 

 of the recent animal, and it is even doubtful if they are to be considered in- 

 digenous fossils. 



The remains of hippopotamus, consisting of isolated canines, probably also 

 belong to the recent animal. An inferior canine, described and figured by De 

 Castro, certainly presents nothing peculiar. Formerly dentists employed the 

 canines of the hippopotamus for the construction of artificial teeth, but since 

 the introduction of porcelain teeth they have been thrown aside. Occasionally 

 such specimens have been brought to me as supposed fossils, and perhaps the 

 Cuba specimens are of the same character. 



The most interesting fossil described by De Castro consists of the greater 

 part of a lower jaw of a giant sloth, which was found in association with a 

 number of reptilian bones, of which those above described are specimens, at 

 Ciego Montero, Cienfuegos. The figures accompanying the description, though 

 drawn in unfavorable positions for satisfactory comparison, nevertheless clearly 

 indicate a lower jaw of nearly the same form, and teeth holding the same rela- 

 tive position as in Megalonyx. As in this genus the anterior large caniniform 

 molar is widely separated from the posterior three small molars, which differ 

 from those of Megalonyx Jeffersonii only specifically. From the dimensions 

 given, the jaw belonged to a smaller animal than the latter. The caniniform 



1868.] 



