196 Miscellaneous. 



and probably belongs to this genua, has five vertebrae in the 



sacrum. 



The nearly complete skull mentioned above may be regarded as 



the type of the genus Pteranodon. Its principal measurements are 



as follows : — 



millim. 

 Length from occipital crest to end of premaxillary, about 



30 inches, or 760-0 



Transverse diameter of occipital condyle 8*4 



Distance from occipital condyle to distal end of quadrate 105-0 



Length of lower jaw, about 23 inches, or 584-0 



Greatest depth 62-2 



Depth at articulation for quadrate 23-2 



The species represented by this specimen is well marked, and 

 may be called Pteranodon longieeps. It is somewhat larger than 

 P. occidentalis, Marsh, which apparently has more slender jaws. 

 The Yale collection contains portions of a skull indicating a much 

 larger species, which is probably P. ingens, Marsh. If this skull 

 ■was of the same proportions as that just described, its length would 

 be no less than four feet ! 



The smallest American species yet found is represented in the 

 Yale Museum by several bones of the wing, a number of vertebrae, 

 and the nearly complete pelvis. The wing-bones preserved are 

 elongated and very slender. The pelvis is unusually small ; and 

 there are five vertebrae in the sacrum ; the last of the series indicates 

 that the tail was short. The following are the principal dimensions 

 of this specimen: — 



milliiu. 



Length of ulna 187 



Length of metacarpal of wing-finger 300 



Antero-posterior diameter of outer condyle at distal end . 15 



Transverse diameter of shaft, above condyles 13 



Length of first phalange of wing-finger 347 



Extent of five vertebrae of sacrum 57 



This species, which may be called Pteranodon gracilis, was about 

 two thirds the size of P. velox, Marsh. It probably measured about 

 ten feet between the tips of the expanded wings. 



All the specimens here mentioned are from the Upper Cretaceous 

 of Western Kansas. It is an interesting fact that the localities and 

 geological horizon of these specialized toothless Pterodactyles are 

 precisely the same as those of the Odontornithes, or birds with teeth j 

 and the two doubtless lived together in the same region. — SillimarCs 

 Amencan Journal, June 1876. 



