58 PALEONTOLOGY OF NEW JERSEY. 



Family TRITONID^. 



Genus TRITON Montfort. 



Triton (Epidromus) pr^cedens, n. sp. 



Plate V, Figs. 6, 7. 



Shell small and moderately slender, spire elevated, longer than, or 

 about equal to, the length of the body volution and anterior beak, as 

 viewed from the back of the shell; apical angle of the spire between 30° 

 and 35°; volutions quite ventricose, with strongly marked sutures; prin- 

 cipal varices occurring at about every two-thirds of a volution, but with 

 secondary varices between, visible on the casts but not definitely enough 

 to give a positive idea of their exact number, yet apparently three on 

 the body volution; each of the principal varices marked by about seven 

 well defined depressions on the back, indicating that number of spiral: 

 ridges on the shell and protuberances on the inner margin of the lip; aper- 

 ture of medium size, semi-lunate, the outer lip only moderately expanded; 

 columella slender, and anterior beak of moderate length; niimber of volu- 

 tions not definitely ascertained, as the specimens are imperfect. 



The species appears to have been a true Epidromus, and had a 

 length of a little more than 1^ inches. The varices are quite strongly and 

 distinctly marked, leaving no doubt of its generic relations. It is the only 

 species of the type yet discovered in the Cretaceous of New Jersey, and on 

 that account, as well as being one of the earliest of its kind to appear in 

 the geological record, is quite interesting. Of course, like all the New 

 Jersey Cretaceous Gasteropoda, it is represented only by internal casts' 

 and is imperfect in many of its features, the upper volutions being invari- 

 ably absent, with more or less of the anterior beak and canal; still, their 

 features are sufficiently preserved to serve all purposes of identification. 



Formation and locality: In the dark green layers of the Lower Green 

 Marls at Mullica Hill, New Jersey. Collected for the State Survey by Dr' 

 N. L. Britton. 



