io8 



FOSSIL TURTLES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



enlarged extremity of the tenth dorsal rib of the Cryptodira. On its hinder angle is a broken 

 process, apparently the base of the rib-head. The distal end of this bone abutted squarely 

 against the ilium. Behind this squarish bone is an irregular and rough excavation in the 

 eighth costal, which seems to have received another bone, probably the first sacral rib. Behind 

 the rough surface just mentioned is another, lying partly on the anterior border of the suprapy- 

 gal; and this may have supported the second sacral rib, not yet lost in these early Pleurodira. 



On the contiguous ends of the seventh and the eighth costals, in the midline, are 3 rough 

 articular surfaces which were in contact with the neural arches of three vertebras. Cope speaks 

 of these as having been in contact with "rudimental and interiorly placed vertebral pieces." 

 It seems evident that the rib-head of the eighth costal was connected with the most anterior; 

 the rib-head of the tenth rib with the second; while the first sacral rib-head joined the third. 



The portion of the xiphiplastron present shows this part of the shell to have been thinner 

 than in T. molops. The thickness at the hypoxiphiplastral suture is 7 mm. The edge of the 

 bone at the bottom of the posterior notch is present. This edge is acute, while from it the bone 

 thickens to only 9 mm. The scar for the pubis is somewhat elongated, 46 mm. long and 9 mm. 

 wide; therefore, much narrower than in T. molops. On the inferior surface is seen a distinct 

 reticulate sculpture of moderate closeness. 



No. 1469 of the American Museum, a part of the Cope collection, is labeled by Cope as 

 having been found at Barnesboro, New Jersey, in 1869; but it has not been identified as any 

 one of those mentioned in his monograph so often quoted here. The left second costal bone is 

 39 mm. wide at the middle of the length and 8 mm. thick. The third costal is 49 mm. wide at the 

 middle of its length. Besides these costals, there are present portions of the three posterior of 

 the right side. These agree with those of No. 1468 described above. Attacht to the sixth 

 costal is the sixth neural. It is hexagonal, 35 mm. long, 36 mm. wide, and 8 mm. thick. The 

 epidermal scute areas also are like those of number 1468. The lateral apex of the second 

 vertebral is 67 mm. from the neural border of the costal. Most of the right hypoplastron is 

 preserved. The length at the midline is about 105 mm.; the width at the abdomino-femoral 

 sulcus 130 mm.; along the hyohypoplastral suture, 100 mm. The bone is 8 mm. thick at the 

 anterior inner angle; 6 mm. at the hypoxiphiplastral suture. 



This species differs from T '. longmuchus in having the suprapygal wider than long and in 

 having the fourth vertebral scute relatively much wider. 



Taphrosphys longinuchus Cope. 

 Text-figs. 101, 102. 



Taphrosphys (Prochonias) Inngniuchus, COPE, Ext. Batrach., Reptilia, Aves N. A., 1870, p. 159. 

 Taphrosphys longinuchus, COVE, op. cit., p. 162; Vert. Cret. Form. West, 1875^.263. HAY, Bihlioff. 

 and Cat. Foss. Vert. N. A., 1902, p. 458. 



Cope stated in his description of this turtle that it had been obtained from the excavations 

 of David Haines, New Jersey. The label accompanying the specimen, now number 1 1,25 of the 

 American Museum of Natural History, informs us that the locality was Medford, which is in 



Burlington County. The level is stated by Cope in his Vertebrata 

 of the Cretaceous Formations, page 263, as being "Greensand 

 No. 5," which would be the upper bed of Cretaceous greensand. 

 The type specimen furnishes a large portion of the carapace 

 and of the plastron, but it was much fractured. Fig. 101 repre- 

 sents the restored carapace; fig. 102 the restored plastron. A con- 

 siderable number of other fragments remain, but can not be fitted 

 to their places. 



The species was one of moderate size and one whose shell 

 was of rather light construction. The length of the carapace (fig. 

 101) was close to 415 mm.; the width about 390 mm. The 

 form was deprest and convex in all directions. Only the eighth peripheral shows any tendency 

 toward upward flaring. Only 3 neurals have been preserved the fourth, fifth, and seventh. 

 The forms of most of the others are indicated by the proximal ends of the contiguous costals. 

 The dimensions, so far as determinable, are given in the accompanying table. 



