THE FOSSIL REPTILES OF NEW JERSEY. 23 
This last visit was in August, 1865, and ever since that 
time the action in the crater has been increasing, until the 
floor of this vast pit has risen nearly a hundred feet, and 
at times has been quite inaccessible, owing to the streams 
of lava flowing over the surface, 
THE FOSSIL REPTILES OF NEW JERSEY. 
BY PROF. E. D. COPE. 
In traversing New Jersey from north west to south east, 
we pass over rocks and soils which have been deposited 
by an ocean whose coast has constantly moved toward the 
south east, until its position has become that now forming 
the boundaries of the State. Hence the material now 
nearest the coast is that last laid down, and as we proceed ` 
towards the north west, the beds are a sediment of succes- 
sively older and older date. Not, however, till we reach 
the red sandstone of the line of New Brunswick, do we 
meet with formations which have suffered a sufficient 
amount of pressure and heating to convert them into stone 
to any great extent. The gradual recession of the ocean 
has been occasioned by a miai regular elevation of 
the land in its rear. This elevation was however, only 
gradual during portions of the time ; between such eleva- 
tions existed long periods of rest. For instance the red 
sandstone mentioned before was for a very long time 
within the shore of the ancient ocean. During that time 
beds were deposited outside of an older coast land, which 
subsiding later, were covered by newer beds, which in- 
clude the remains of those creatures that have died near the 
