ON THE OSTEOLOGY OF NYCTOSAURUS. 155 
though the author expressly stated that the “‘coracoid and scapula were 
firmly anchylosed” a character seen in the present specimen of /Vycéo- 
saurus, | feel pretty confident that the type of P. zanus does not have the 
articular extremity of the scapula so characteristic of (Vyctosaurus. The 
description of P. comptus might apply, except in size, to either WVycéo- 
saurus or Pteranodon. I refer the species to the former genus because of 
its small size, but its synonymy is not assured. That a better basis for an 
opinion may be given the reader, I here reproduce all that Marsh has 
written upon /Vyctfosaurus and the two small species which he referred to 
Pteranodon. 
‘One of the smallest American species yet found is represented in the 
Yale Museum by several bones of the wing, a number of vertebre and 
the nearly complete pelvis. The wing bones preserved are elongated 
and very slender. The pelvis is unusually small, and there are five 
vertebra in the sacrum. The last of the series indicates that the tail was 
short. ‘The following are the principal dimensions of this specimen: 
mm. 
et oe ee Pe ee we ee ee 187 
RE mimeretacal pal Or wing finger... gloss... 222 lle. 300 
Antero-posterior diameter of outer condyle at distal end___--_---_--_.------- 15 
ee eeerererametcl, of, Shalt,above condylés-._-.--.--.--------i-.2. 22s 13 
Memmimeeiat ohalanx Of wing finger... -5- <2. eo een se ke ee 347 
Peete everteDice Of Sacruml:.2- =. -.+.'-- ~~. --- 2s 4s--+ 22... 57 
“This species, which may be called Preranodon gracilis, was about two- 
thirds the size of P. velox Marsh. It probably measured about ten feet 
between the tips of the expanded wings.’’* 
i Pteranodon comptus, sp. nov. The smallest Pterodactyle known from 
American strata is indicated by portions of three skeletons in the Yale 
Museum. Among these remains are two distal ends of the characteristic 
metacarpal of the wing finger, other portions of the wing bones, and two 
sacral vertebre. The large metacarpal is very slender and elongated, 
and its outer distal condyle has its superior margin elevated above the 
shaft, and terminated proximally in a point. The ulna is comparatively 
large, and the proximal carpal has an oval air cavity on its radial side. 
The sacral vertebree have their centra short, and medially constricted. 
“The principal measurements of the remains of this species are as follows: 
mm, 
Greatest diameter of ulna at distal end------..--._--- iy Ate Ua Reidy nih ae a 15 
Transverse diameter of proximal carpal-------- Bh Let St 17 
Antero-posterior diameter of outer distal condyle of wing metacarpal-------- 12.8 
EEE TeX CONT OL4 CONG VIG ee mee to os noe ti Hons we i ee 11.6 
meaneverse diameter of shaftabove condyle-:.-.. ---_--- 2. .-.------1--.- Li.5 
Peers ened SACTal VeTteDid.. sues ees- 2. Jnl}. nee ete poke rep yee gle 9 
pprereeeciaineter OL Centr) stesso. ena SS ainew eee een een men, Ord 
* Marsh, Amer. Journ. Sci. June, 1876, p. 508. 
