﻿AND 
  AVES 
  OF 
  NORTH 
  AMERICA. 
  227 
  

  

  wards, 
  the 
  outer 
  is 
  horizontal, 
  and 
  corresponds 
  to 
  the 
  prominent 
  ridge 
  in 
  front 
  of 
  the 
  meatus. 
  The 
  ridge 
  connecting 
  

   the 
  anterior 
  lamina 
  with 
  the 
  condyle, 
  is 
  strongly 
  convex 
  and 
  ridged 
  or 
  crenate 
  round 
  the 
  external 
  margin. 
  The 
  ridge 
  

   hounding 
  the 
  meatus 
  in 
  front 
  is 
  concave. 
  The 
  condyle 
  is 
  much 
  wider 
  and 
  more 
  convex 
  intero-anteriorly; 
  the 
  remain- 
  

   ing 
  portion 
  is 
  narrowed. 
  There 
  is 
  a 
  deep 
  superficial 
  pit 
  just 
  above 
  the 
  meatus. 
  The 
  anterior 
  semi-circular 
  expansion 
  

   is 
  shallow 
  concave 
  on 
  the 
  inner 
  side. 
  

  

  The 
  form 
  of 
  this 
  element 
  indicates 
  a 
  nearer 
  relation 
  of 
  Clidastes 
  to 
  Liodon 
  validus 
  than 
  to 
  Mosasaurus. 
  

  

  The 
  type 
  specimen 
  of 
  this 
  species 
  was 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  bed 
  of 
  a 
  small 
  stream, 
  where 
  it 
  had 
  fallen 
  from 
  its 
  original 
  

   position 
  in 
  the 
  bank. 
  

  

  Rotten 
  Sandstone 
  of 
  the 
  upper 
  Cretaceous 
  of 
  Alabama. 
  Dr. 
  E. 
  R. 
  Showalter. 
  

  

  OPHIDI4. 
  

  

  PALJEOPHIS, 
  Owen. 
  

   PALJ30PHIS 
  LITTORALIS, 
  Cope. 
  

   Proceed. 
  Acad. 
  N. 
  Sci., 
  Phil., 
  1868, 
  234. 
  Dinophis 
  littoralis, 
  Marsh, 
  Am. 
  Journ. 
  Sci. 
  Arts, 
  1869, 
  p. 
  400. 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  the 
  first 
  serpent 
  whose 
  remains 
  have 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  United 
  States, 
  in 
  deposits 
  older 
  than 
  the 
  postplio- 
  

   cene. 
  We 
  owe 
  its 
  preservation 
  to 
  D. 
  Knieskem, 
  of 
  Shark 
  River, 
  New 
  Jersey, 
  best 
  known 
  by 
  his 
  botanical 
  investiga- 
  

   tions. 
  It 
  is 
  in 
  possession 
  of 
  the 
  New 
  Jersey 
  State 
  Geological 
  Survey, 
  and 
  has 
  been 
  submitted 
  to 
  me 
  by 
  Prof. 
  Geo. 
  H. 
  

   Cook, 
  the 
  Director, 
  for 
  examination. 
  The 
  specimens 
  consist 
  of 
  three 
  vertebrae, 
  neither 
  of 
  them 
  perfect, 
  the 
  most 
  so 
  

   with 
  neural 
  arch, 
  but 
  with 
  diapophyses 
  broken 
  off. 
  

  

  The 
  more 
  perfect 
  is 
  an 
  anterior 
  dorsal, 
  with 
  two 
  hypapophyses, 
  the 
  anterior 
  small 
  and 
  directed 
  forwards, 
  the 
  pos- 
  

   terior 
  larger, 
  and 
  directed 
  vertically 
  downwards. 
  The 
  ball 
  has 
  a 
  considerable 
  superior 
  up-look, 
  though 
  the 
  groove 
  

   which 
  bounds 
  it 
  is 
  but 
  little 
  oblique. 
  Centrum 
  much 
  compressed 
  behind 
  the 
  middle. 
  Plane 
  of 
  basis 
  of 
  zygapophysis 
  

   opposite 
  floor 
  of 
  neural 
  arch; 
  zygapophysis 
  directed 
  slightly 
  upwards 
  and 
  outwards, 
  continuous 
  by 
  a 
  broad 
  wing 
  run- 
  

   ning 
  posteriorly, 
  with 
  the 
  diapophysis. 
  Neural 
  arch 
  well 
  elevated, 
  broken 
  off 
  behind. 
  The 
  basis 
  of 
  the 
  neural 
  spine 
  

  

  is 
  narrow 
  on 
  the 
  anterior 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  arch, 
  and 
  does 
  not 
  reach 
  the 
  anterior 
  margin. 
  

  

  Lines. 
  

  

  Length 
  centrum 
  (ball 
  to 
  edge 
  cup), 
  8.25 
  

  

  Depth 
  ball, 
  4.25 
  

  

  Width 
  " 
  5. 
  

  

  " 
  between 
  extremities 
  of 
  zygapophyses, 
  8. 
  

  

  Depth 
  cup 
  and 
  neural 
  arch, 
  7.5 
  

  

  Width 
  neural 
  arch 
  behind, 
  2.25 
  

  

  A 
  strong 
  ridge 
  extends 
  from 
  the 
  zygapophysis 
  posteriorly 
  parallel 
  with 
  the 
  centrum. 
  There 
  is 
  no 
  ridge 
  continued 
  

  

  from 
  the 
  zygosphen, 
  except 
  a 
  slight 
  ridge 
  below 
  the 
  fossa, 
  which 
  is 
  above 
  and 
  back 
  of 
  the 
  diapophysis, 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  

  

  the 
  vertebra 
  is 
  smooth. 
  

  

  Another 
  vertebra 
  is 
  rather 
  broader 
  in 
  proportion 
  to 
  its 
  length, 
  and 
  less 
  compressed. 
  

  

  Length 
  (as 
  above), 
  7.8 
  

  

  Width 
  ball, 
  5. 
  

  

  In 
  both, 
  the 
  ball 
  has 
  a 
  sub-triangular 
  outline. 
  In 
  the 
  more 
  perfect, 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  the 
  neural 
  canal 
  is 
  divided 
  by 
  a 
  

  

  narrow 
  longitudinal 
  epapophysis. 
  

  

  Locality. 
  The 
  Eocene 
  Green 
  Sand 
  Bed 
  of 
  Squankum, 
  Monmouth 
  Co., 
  N. 
  J. 
  

  

  PAL.EOPHIS 
  HALIDANUS, 
  Cope. 
  

  

  Proceed. 
  Acad. 
  Nat. 
  Sci., 
  1868, 
  235. 
  Dinophis 
  halidanus, 
  Marsh, 
  1. 
  c. 
  1869, 
  400. 
  

  

  A 
  single 
  vertebra 
  represents 
  this 
  species. 
  It 
  indicates 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  largest 
  of 
  the 
  genus, 
  being 
  little 
  different 
  from 
  

   the 
  P. 
  typhosus 
  of 
  Owen, 
  in 
  size. 
  The 
  bulk 
  of 
  the 
  vertebra 
  is 
  double 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  P. 
  littoralis. 
  In 
  addition 
  to 
  this 
  

  

  