A PEELIMINAEY EEPORT 



ON THE 



YERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY 



OF THE 



LLANO E STAC ADO. 



E. D . COPE. 



CHAPTER I. 



THE VERTEBRATE REMAINS FROM THE DOCKUM TERRANE OF 

 THE TRIASSIC SYSTEM, 



The Triassic formation is exposed extensively throughout the entire re- 

 gion at the eastern, northern, and western bases of the Staked Plains, as 

 already pointed out by authors. An exploration conducted for two sea- 

 seasons by Mr. W. F. Cummins has demonstrated that it is not rich in 

 fossils of any'kind, and that such vertebrate remains as occur are very 

 fragmentary. In the following pages such as are susceptible of identifi- 

 cation are described. 



The entire red region of Northern Texas and the Indian Territory was 

 originally referred to the Trias by Marcou. In 1878 I obtained evidence 

 that the greater part of this area belongs to the Permian terrane, and so 

 stated in various publications.* During his exploration of 1890, Mr. 

 Cummins obtained some teeth from the Dockum beds, which were sent me 

 for identification, and I found them to belong to the Triassic reptilian 

 genera Belodon, Clepsysaurus and Palseoctonus.f These genera have been 

 found in the Triassic beds of the Atlantic States. The explorations of 

 1891-92 added the genera Typothorax and Episcoposaurus, which, with 

 Belodon, I had previously detected in the Triassic bed of New Mexico. 



*Americaa Naturalist, 1878, May. 



tAnn. Report Geol. Survey Texas, 1890, p. 423. 



