AETICLE Y. 



SUPPLEMENT 



TO THE 



EXTINCT BATRACIIIA AND REPTILIA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



I. CATALOGUE OF THE AIR BREATHING VERTEBRATA FROM THE COAL MEASURES 



OF LINTON, OHIO, 



BY EDWARD D. COPE, A.M. 



Read before the American Philosophical Society, Feb. 6, 1874. 



) 



In the last descriptive catalogue of the species of the character here considered, 

 that contained in the author's "Synopsis of the Extinct Batrachia, etc., of ISTorth 

 America," nine only were described ; the number is now increased to twenty-six. 

 This addition, as well as the creation of the original collection, is due to the attention 

 of Professor J. S. I^ewberry, now Director of the Geological Survey of Ohio, for 

 whom an extended and illustrated report is now in course of preparation. 



The result of the newer investigation into their structure confirms the opinion to 

 which the author was originally led, that all the air-breathing vertebrata of the coal 

 measures were Batrachians, and that, true Reptiles did not then exist. Any gene- 

 ralization to this effect extending to the whole earth is premature, and scarcely likely 

 to be verified ; nevertheless, it is still applicable to the localities with which we are 

 now acquainted. The Batrachians from Linton present the most varied forms ; some 

 are broad and stout bodied, others lizard-like ; some exhibit heavily mailed surfaces, 

 and others are slender and attenuated as snakes. They are here referred to twelve 

 genera. These may be arranged as follows, in accordance with their general appear- 

 ance and structure. 



Group I. Snake-like forms without limbs : Phlegetlioyitia, DoUchosoma, Molgojjhis. 

 Group II. Elongate forms with limbs and lanciform heads ; Oestoceplialus, Pty- 

 ordus, Lepterpeton. 



Group III. Lizard-like forms with limbs and broad frog-like heads : Pelion, 

 Saiiropleura, Tuditanus, ? Lepttopliractus. 



A. P. S. — VOL. XV. 3n. 



