Miscpllaneous. \ 9.0 



Notice of a new Suborder of Pterosaurin. 

 By Prof. C). C. Maksh. 



The first Plcrodactylo discovered in this country was found hy tho 

 riter, in 1870, in the Upper Cretaceous of Kansas; and during the 



The 

 writer, 



next year two other species were obtained in the same region*. 

 These three species were referred provisionally by the writer to the 

 genus Pti'roil(i(ti/lus of Cuvier, with which the remains then de- 

 Bcribed essentially agreed. An examination of the large scries of 

 Bpecimeus of this order now in the Yale Museum shows, however, 

 that some of these fossils possess characters widely different from 

 all forms known in the Old World, and indicate a new and highly 

 interesting typo. The distinctive feature in this group is the 

 abstnce of teeth ; and hence the order may be called Pteraiiodontia, 

 and the family Pteranodontidae, from the tyjacal genus described 

 below. 



Pter.o>'odo>', gen. nov. 



This genus is readily distinguished from any Ptei'odactyles hitherto 

 described by the cranial characters, which are well shown in a nearly 

 perfect skull and portions of others in the Yale Museum. The 

 cranium preserved is very large, and the facial portion greatly elon- 

 gated. There is a high sagittal crest which projects backward some 

 distance beyond the occipital condyle ; the latter is directed back- 

 ward and somewhat downward. The (juadrate is long and inclined 

 well forward. The orbits are large, as are also the antorbital and 

 nasal apertures. The maxillary bones are closely coossified with the 

 premaxillary ; and the whole forms a long slender beak, which in 

 the specimens examined tapers gradually to the pointed apex. There 

 are no teeth or sockets for teeth in any part of the upper jaws ; and 

 the premaxillary shows some indications of having been encased in 

 a horny covering. The lower jaws, also, are long and pointed in 

 front, and entirely edentulous. The rami are closely united by a 

 pymphysis which extends from the apex backward to beyond the 

 posterior extremity of the dentary bone, thus resembling the man- 

 dible of Klufncliops and some other birds. In several other respects 

 the jaws in this genus are more like those of birds than of any 

 known reptiles. 



The vertebrae in the present genus are similar to those in Euro- 

 pean Pterosaurians ; and the atlas and axis are united. There are 

 four phalanges in the wing-finger ; and the metacarpal that supports 

 it is longer than one half the antebrachium. In one specimen 

 which probably belongs to this genus there are four slender bones, 

 apparently all metacarpals, which are pointed above and do not 

 reach the carpus. Another specimen, which is described below, 



• Silliman's 'American Journal of Science and Arts,' vol. i. p. 472, 

 1871 ; vol. iii. pp. 241 and r?74. ]f<72. 



