Editorial Notes. 
During the past summer the University Geological Expedition in western Kan- 
sas was very fortunate in securing a most extraordinarily good specimen of a 
Platecarpus, which adds, unexpectedly, some new facts in their structure. The 
specimen was discovered by Mr. A, Stewart a mile and a half from Elkader on the 
Smoky Hill River, and includes the complete animal to the base of the tail. The 
skin was preserved entire, but, when exposed to the air, very much of it has flaked 
off. By the use of shellac, however, considerable patches have been preserved. 
The scales are similar to those of 7osaurus, but are somewhat larger, and ap- 
parently lack a prominent carina. A remarkable peculiarity is the presence of a 
row of dermal processes along the nucha, from the skull at least as far back as the 
thoracic region. How much further they may go it is impossible to say, since the 
bones lie above the posterior end of them. They are about three millimeters in 
diameter and four or five, perhaps six, inches in length, forming a thick fringe or 
mane, and resembling very much the thongs along the legs of buckskin trowsers. 
The sternal apparatus is preserved entire and apparently, like most of the bones, 
nearly in position. There is a true, bony sternum, of crescentic shape, with a 
projecting, flattened, spatulate episternum. The paddle shows the outline of 
the membrane, which joins the body broadly, and has the fifth finger 
divaricated. There are five carpal bones. Photographic figures of the nuchal 
fringe, the sternal apparatus and the skin, together with some observations on the 
food-habits of the animal will be given in the next number of this Quarterly. 
S. W. WILLISTON. 
(235) KAN. UNIV. QUAR., VOL. VII. NO, 4, OCT, 1898, SERIES A. 
