Fossil Gavial from New Jasey. 165 



one of which belonged to some cartilaginous fish. Another, 

 labelled " firom Schenk's, Freehold," I take to be the caudal 

 vertebra of a crocodile or gavial, with the following dimen- 

 sions : 



Length 2-9. 



Diameter of concave extremity 1'8. 



of convex extremity 1*7. 



The processes are more or less injured, but the foramen, for 

 the reception of the spinal marrow, is complete. 



Another vertebra, from a marie pit, is labelled "from James' 

 pit, two and a half miles south of Bassett's," has the following 

 dimensions : 



Length 2. 



Diameter of concave extremity 1'9. 



of convex extremity 1'7. 



From its compressed body, and the appearance of the por- 

 tions of the branches of the spinous processes, we may infer, 

 that this is also the caudal vertebra of a fossil crocodile. 



There is also a vertebra, or rather, a portion of one, (fig. 

 11) which has been supposed to have belonged to some of the 

 cetaceous mammalia. Its ends are nearly plane, and slightly 

 elevated in the centre ; but its size, the proportions between 

 its length and breadth, and the existence of two small oval fossae 

 on the under side of the body, would seem to disprove this idea 

 (p. 447.) It is, in fact, more nearly allied to the gigantic genus 

 Plesiosaurus. The following are its principal dimensions : 

 Length of the body 2*6. 

 Depth 3. 

 Antero-posterior diam. of the articulating surface 



for rib 1"1. 

 Transverse do. do. 1*5. 



Nearly one third of the body is broken off; but by measur- 

 ing one half of the entire part, we can determine the horizontal 

 thickness of this dorsal vertebra, which is 3*8. 



