Fossil Gavial from New Jersey. 163 



Ganges. The first, C. gangeticus, has from 25 to 26 teeth on 

 each side of the lower jaw, and the length of the jaw is to that 

 of the body^as one to seven and a half. The second, C. ten- 

 uirostris, has the same number of teeth, aijd is chiefly distin- 

 guished by a longer cranium. It appears to be doubted whe- 

 ther it is specifically distinct from the preceding. Upon a com- 

 parison of our fragment with these, the following differences 

 were noted. The opercular bones, forming the symphysis of 

 the lower jaw, occupy, in the living gavials, (p. 107) nearly one 

 third of the whole length of the medial suture of the jaw, which, 

 if applied to our specimen, would give it a length of 18 inches. 

 And as the teeth in the living species are nearly regular and 

 equidistant, if we assume the same thing with regard to our 

 specimen, we shall be led to attribute to it, when perfect, but 

 15, or, at the farthest, 18 teeth on each side, which would con- 

 tradistinguish it sufficiently from the living species. 



The head of the Gavial of the Ganges is about 2*6, and the 

 whole animal 16 feet long. Upon the supposition that our 

 specimen has the same proportions, and that we have one third 

 of the total length of the head and beak, we may reasonably 

 conclude, that our specimen belonged to an individual between 

 9 and 10 feet long. 



It may be alleged, that this length, being merely conjectural, 

 is not sufficiently accurate to form a just comparison. We are 

 ready to admit the force of this allegation ; the more readily, 

 because, from the sudden tapering of the beak, as shown by the 

 measurements above, and the position of the anterior socket in 

 the right dental bone, the jaw could scarcely have been more 

 than twice its present length, which would give only 12 or 14 

 teeth on each side. This, it will be perceived, would separate 

 it still farther from the living species. 



Among the fossil crocodiles, it has been remarked, that 

 although more species have been discovered in Europe belong- 

 ing to the second subdivision, yet that more remains have been 

 found which clearly belonged to the division of gavials. 



