﻿16 
  THE 
  EXTINCT 
  BATRACHIA, 
  REPTILIA 
  

  

  SAUROPLETTRA 
  DIGITATA, 
  Cope. 
  

   Proc. 
  Acad. 
  Nat. 
  Sci. 
  Philadelphia, 
  1868. 
  216. 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  had 
  a 
  length 
  of 
  body 
  about 
  equal 
  to 
  that 
  of 
  a 
  fully 
  grown 
  Chamaeleo 
  vulgaris 
  of 
  the 
  largest 
  size 
  or 
  

   of 
  a 
  half-grown 
  Menopoma. 
  Thirteen 
  ribs 
  on 
  one, 
  and 
  several 
  on 
  the 
  other 
  side, 
  are 
  preserved; 
  where 
  they 
  

   terminate, 
  probably 
  at 
  the 
  pelvic 
  region, 
  some 
  small 
  or 
  rudimental 
  ribs 
  project 
  from 
  the 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  first 
  caudals. 
  

   Three 
  ribs 
  and 
  their 
  interspaces 
  extend 
  over 
  five 
  lines. 
  The 
  humerus 
  is 
  broken, 
  but 
  its 
  length 
  can 
  be 
  clearly 
  made 
  

   out 
  to 
  be 
  seven 
  lines 
  ; 
  it 
  has 
  no 
  condyle, 
  and 
  is 
  dilated 
  at 
  both 
  extremities. 
  The 
  ulna 
  and 
  radius 
  are 
  distinct, 
  

   truncate, 
  hollow, 
  and 
  dilated 
  at 
  the 
  ends. 
  Length 
  of 
  ulna 
  5.1 
  lines, 
  distal 
  width 
  1.8 
  lines. 
  Carpus 
  not 
  ossified. 
  

   The 
  fourth 
  toe 
  is 
  considerably 
  longer 
  than 
  the 
  others, 
  the 
  fifth 
  is 
  next 
  and 
  reaches 
  the 
  basal 
  third 
  of 
  the 
  antepenult 
  

   phalange 
  of 
  the 
  fourth 
  ; 
  the 
  third 
  is 
  very 
  little 
  shorter 
  ; 
  the 
  first 
  is 
  not 
  quite 
  so 
  long 
  as 
  the 
  first 
  two 
  of 
  the 
  third. 
  

   The 
  bones 
  of 
  the 
  hind 
  limb 
  are 
  not 
  readily 
  distinguished. 
  They 
  are 
  evidently 
  much 
  longer 
  and 
  larger 
  than 
  the 
  

   anterior 
  ; 
  no 
  part 
  of 
  a 
  foot 
  is 
  preserved. 
  

  

  This 
  form 
  is 
  probably 
  allied 
  to 
  Urocordylus. 
  It 
  has 
  relatively 
  much 
  stronger 
  ribs 
  in 
  relation 
  to 
  the 
  vertebra? 
  

   than 
  we 
  have 
  seen 
  in 
  that 
  genus, 
  and 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  evidence 
  of 
  the 
  existence 
  of 
  the 
  vertebra? 
  characterizing 
  the 
  latter. 
  

   The 
  limbs 
  are 
  relatively 
  much 
  stronger 
  than 
  in 
  QEstocephalus, 
  and 
  it 
  lacks 
  the 
  peculiar 
  dermal 
  armature 
  of 
  

   that 
  genus. 
  

  

  (ESTOCEPHALUS, 
  Cope. 
  

   Proceed. 
  Acad. 
  Nat. 
  Sci. 
  Phila., 
  1868. 
  218. 
  

  

  This 
  genus 
  is 
  represented 
  by 
  a 
  more 
  complete 
  series 
  of 
  remains 
  than 
  any 
  other 
  of 
  the 
  

   Linton 
  bed. 
  

  

  As 
  before 
  remarked, 
  it 
  represents 
  in 
  many 
  respects, 
  the 
  Ophiderpeton 
  of 
  Huxley, 
  and 
  

   has 
  been 
  alluded 
  to 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Newberry 
  as 
  allied 
  to 
  it. 
  It 
  however, 
  differs 
  markedly 
  in 
  

   the 
  narrow 
  lanceolate 
  form 
  of 
  the 
  head, 
  with 
  probable 
  accompanying 
  peculiarities 
  of 
  

   detail, 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  presence 
  of 
  limbs, 
  which 
  have 
  not 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  Irish 
  genus. 
  The 
  

   form 
  of 
  the 
  head 
  is 
  somewhat 
  nearer 
  that 
  of 
  Lepterpeton 
  Huxl., 
  but 
  the 
  remarkable 
  

   form 
  of 
  the 
  spines 
  of 
  the 
  caudal 
  vertebra? 
  so 
  characteristic 
  of 
  the 
  American 
  genus, 
  are 
  

   not 
  found 
  in 
  Lepterpeton. 
  In 
  this 
  latter 
  respect 
  it 
  is 
  allied 
  to 
  the 
  Urocordylus 
  of 
  

   Huxley, 
  recently 
  discovered 
  in 
  the 
  Coal 
  Measures 
  in 
  Leinster, 
  Ireland. 
  It 
  differs 
  only 
  in 
  

   the 
  presence 
  of 
  elongate 
  lizard-like 
  ribs 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  absence 
  of 
  " 
  oat 
  shaped 
  scales 
  " 
  of 
  the 
  

   lower 
  surfaces. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  a 
  matter 
  of 
  much 
  interest 
  in 
  American 
  Palaeontology 
  that 
  this 
  remarkable 
  type 
  

   should 
  be 
  found 
  to 
  occur 
  in 
  our 
  Coal 
  Measures. 
  It 
  was 
  first 
  announced 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Newberry 
  

   at 
  the 
  meeting 
  of 
  the 
  American 
  Association 
  for 
  the 
  Advancement 
  of 
  Science 
  for 
  1867. 
  

   (See 
  p. 
  144), 
  as 
  an 
  ally 
  of 
  Urocordylus 
  and 
  Ophiderpeton. 
  

  

  The 
  forms 
  discovered 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Newberry 
  have 
  an 
  interesting 
  relation 
  to 
  those 
  of 
  

   Ireland, 
  such 
  as 
  types 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  period 
  frequently 
  present. 
  

  

  The 
  characters 
  of 
  Oestocephalus 
  arc: 
  neural 
  and 
  haemal 
  elements 
  of 
  the 
  caudal 
  

   vertebra', 
  elongate, 
  distally, 
  dilated 
  and 
  grooved, 
  attached 
  by 
  contracted 
  bases. 
  Ventral 
  

   aspect 
  defended 
  by 
  a 
  close 
  series 
  of 
  oblique 
  dermal 
  rods 
  on 
  each 
  side, 
  which 
  meet 
  anterior- 
  

  

  