160 J. Wyman on Batrachian Reptiles from Ohio. — 
two genera, not hitherto noticed. Two of the species were dis- 
covered by Dr. J. S. Newberry of Ohio, and a third by Mr. C. 
M. Wheatley of New York, who have entrusted them to me for 
description. 
Raniceps Lyellii—This was found by Dr. Newberry in com- 
pany with many other remains, for the most part of fishes, and 
was regarded by him as Batrachian. He gives the following de- 
scription of their geological position. “The locality which 
furnishes the fossil fishes and reptiles is at Linton, Jefferson Co., 
Ohio, on the property of the Ohio Diamond Coal Co., at the mouth 
of Yellow Creek. This point is about fifty miles distant from the 
northwest margin of the Alleghany coal-field, and therefore 
about as near the centre of the basin as any part of Ohio. The 
hills bordering the Ohio at the mouth of the Yellow Creek, con- 
tain six workable beds of coal, while there are at least two 
others which lie beneath the bed of the river. Of those exposed, 
the fourth in the ascending series contains the fishes and reptiles; 
it is known on Yellow Creek as the “big run” being nearly 
eight feet in thickness. Of this thickness, the lower four inches 
is of Cannel coal, and this forms the nidus of our fossils. The 
“big run” I have traced over several hundred square miles, and 
there can be no doubt of its position. The animal remains of 
this deposit lie in immediate proximity to the most characteristic 
carboniferous plants and shells.” Dr. Newberry also gives a 
section of the different strata, which lie in the following order 
from above downwards, 1. Shale and sandstone; 2. coal; 3. 
_ the skeleton (fig. 1,) was exposed on splitting open two lam- 
Inve of matrix, and in the act of separation, the tuil (if it had 
One), some of the dorsal vertebre, and a portion of the pelvis 
were destroyed. As is usually the case with fossils from the 
_. coal, all the bones were very much obscured by compression and 
___ by their intimate union with the substance in which they are 
imbedded. They are seen from the underside and measure 
about four and one-half inches in length. 
~The Batrachian characters are strongly marked, and were Te 
. a C ized by Dr. Newberry ; yet they do not strictly conform with 
: either one of the two great groups, but rather combine the 
od features of the Urodel and Anourous types; the first predomina- 
_ ting in the trunk and extremities, and the latter in the head. 
€ general form of the head resembles that of frogs; it 18 U1 
angular, and its greatest breadth nearly equals its length. Exist: 
ing Urodels are characterised by having the lower jaws either 
fee 
