472 FOSSIL TURTLES OF NORTH AMERICA. 
Plastomenus? lachrymalis Cope. 
Plate 86, fig. 3. 
Plastomenus lachrymalis, Core, Append. FF, Ann. Report Chief of Engineers, 1874, p. 603 (of separata, 
p- 96); Syst. Cat. Vert. Eocene N. Mex., 1875, p- 35; Wheeler’s Surv. W. tooth Merid., rv, pt. 11, 
1877, pp. 48, 51, plate xxv, figs. 7-76; Vert. Tert. Form. West, 1884, p. 123.—Hay, Bibliog. and 
Cat. Foss. Vert. N. A., 1902, p. 452. 
This insufficiently known species was secured by Cope in the Wasatch deposits of New 
Mexico. It was based on a single individual and apparently on only fragments of costal plates. 
Of these 2 were figured. These remains were evidently referred to Plastomenus because of 
the character of the sculpture. We can not be sure of the correctness of this assignment before 
similar costals shall have been found associated with the plastral bones. The writer does not 
know where the specimen now 1s. 
Professor Cope’s description is given below, and one of his figures, that of the distal end 
of a costal bone, is reproduced on the plate referred to above. The part of the figure indicated 
by a shows the thickness of the bone. 
Costals with finer pits [than in P. sertalzs], the welts broken into tubercles posteriorly. 
The largest species of the genus represented in the Eocene of New Mexico. The costal bones are 
rather finely punctate, the posterior as well as the anterior. The anterior costal bones are crossed by 
numerous ridges from side to side obliquely; the obliquity increasing posteriorly. On the posterior 
bones they are broken into vertical bars, separated by considerable intervals, and of linear form. The 
posterior costals reach a thickness of 0.006 m. and a width of 0.025 m. 
The pitting of the posterior part of the carapace distinguishes this species from the P. wdemius. 
But one specimen obtained. 
Plastomenus? fractus Cope. 
Plate 86, fig. 4. 
Plastomenus fractus, Cope, Syst. Cat. Vert. Eocene New Mexico, 1875, p. 35; Append. Li of Wheeler’s 
Report to Chief Engineers, 1875, p. 1016 (of separata, p. 96); Wheeler's Surv. W. tooth Merid., 
Iv, pt. ii, 1877, p. 49, plate xxv, figs. 12-19; Vert. Tert. Form. West, 1884, p. 123.—Hay, Bibliog. 
and Cat. Foss. Vert. N. A., 1902, p. 452. 
The types and all other specimens of this species having apparently been lost, the present 
writer must content himself with reprinting Cope’s description and one of his figures. It 
may be said, however, that there 1s nothing about the specimens or the description that either 
confirms or disproves the correctness of the reference of the species to the genus Plastomenus. 
Important parts of the plastron are needed for the settling of this question. The species 
comes from the Wasatch beds of New Mexico; but the exact locality was not given by Cope. 
It was, however, from the region of the Gallinas River. 
Five individuals in a fragmentary condition represent this turtle, and present greater uniformity of 
character than some of the others. The sculpture is a honeycomb, where the fosse are wider than the 
separating ridges, [and] which is traversed at intervals of two or three fossa by elevated lines, which are 
transverse or oblique to the long axis of the costal bones as they are situated in the carapace. These 
lines are elevated portions of those separating the fossa, and hence differ entirely from the smooth, thick 
welts of the species of the genus which follows. They are usually zigzag in their course, as defining the 
pits, and sometimes inclose small pits. The vertebral bones are strongly pitted. None of the specimens 
indicate large size. 
MEASUREMENTS. 
Meter. 
Width of a vertebral bone ss esicis (OLOIZ 
Width of a costal bone -022 
Thickness of same -005 
Interval between two raised lines ; .007 
Plate 86, fig. 4, is reproduced from Cope’s work of 1877, cited above. The figs. w and x 
represent the outer and the inner surfaces of the proximal end of a costal. Figs. y and z show 
middle parts of costals. It 1s greatly to be desired that far better specimens of this and other 
Wasatch species of turtles, so often based on fragmentary specimens, shall soon be found. 
