A GUIDE TO THE FOSSIL BIRDS, REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGY IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY), CROMWELL ROAD, LONDON, S.W. 7 WITH 9 PLATES AND 51 TEXT-FIGURES LONDON: PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. Sold at the British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, S.W. 7, and by B. Quaritch, Ltd. ; Dulau & Co., Ltd. ; and The Oxford University Press. 1934 r \ PRICE ONE SHILLING Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries ~ : . :"ai«Krgsj|:a»a-.•" ?V\ ■ A / ;N" ..... - V^V ' K " - * 1--^-, - - ■iM&Stp 4'v$&::-■ ■■■■■.. ■'*'■ n :-v"-.i... ?i - Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries A GUIDE TO THE FOSSIL BIRDS, REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGY IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY), CROMWELL ROAD, LONDON, S.W. 7 by W.. E. SWINTON, PH.D., F.KS.E. LONDON: PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. Sold at the British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, S.W. 7, and by B. Quaritch, Ltd. ; Dulau & Co., Ltd. ; and The Oxeord University Press. 1934 Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries MADE AND PRINTED BY ADLARD AND SON, LTD., 21, HART STREET, LONDON, W.C. I, ENGLAND. Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries TABLE OF CONTENTS. page Table of Contents ...... iii List of Plates ....... iv List of Illustrations in Text .... V Preface ........ Introduction ....... Table of Stratified Rocks .... Opposite p. xii Class II.—AVES. Sub-class I.—Ornithurje ..... 1 Order.—.Droji^ognathas ..... Sub-class II.—Saurur^e ..... 12 Class III.—REPTILIA. Order I.—Squamata ...... 16 Sub-order 1.—Ophidia (Snakes) 16 „ 2.—Lacertilia (Lizards) 17 ,, 3.—Dolichosauria 17 „ 4.—Pythonomorpha 18 Order II.—Pterosauria ..... 20 „ III.—Crocodilia (Crocodiles and Alligators) . 24 ,, IV.—Dinosauria ..... 29 a. Saurischia— Sub-order 1.—Theropoda .... 30 „ 2.—Sauropoda .... 32 b. Ornithischia— ,, 1.—Ornitiiopoda .... 40 ,, 2.—Stegosauria .... 45 Order V.—Rhynciiocephalia .... 47 ,, VI.—Theromorpha or Anomodontia . 48 Sub-order 1.—Theriodontia .... 49 ,, 2.—Dicynodontia .... 51 ,, 3.—Dromasauria .... 51 „ 4.—Dinocephalia .... 51 5.—Pelycosauria .... 52 Order VII.—Cotylosauria ..... 52 ,, VIII.—Sauropterygia .... 55 ,, IX.—Placodontia ..... 63 ,, X. ichthy"opterygia . , • 63 ,, XI.—Chelonia (Tortoises and Turtles) 70 Sub-order 1.—Trionychoidea 71 ,, 2.—Cryptodira .... 71 ,, 3.—Pleurodira .... 75 ,, 4.—Amphichelydia . .75 Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries iv LIST OF PLATES Class IV.—AMPHIBIA. page Order I.—Anura or Ecaudata (Frogs and Toads) ... 76 ,, II.—Urodela or Caudata (Newts and Salamanders) . 76 ,, III.—Stegocephalia ........ 77 Sub-order 1.—Temnospondyli ...... 78 ,, 2.—Lepospondyli ....... 81 ,, 3.—Phyllospondyli 81 Fossil Footprints ......... 82 LIST OF PLATES. I.—Skeleton of the Gigantic Moa (Dinornis maximus) from New Zealand ........ Opposite p. 6 II. Fossil Lizard-tailed Bird, Archceopteryx macrura, from the Litho¬ graphic Stone (Upper Jurassic) of Eichstadt, Bavaria . Op. p. 11 III. Photograph (by Mr. J. T. Pigg) of a reproduction in plaster of a Dinosaurian Land-Reptile (Diplodocus carnegii), 84 feet in length, from the Upper Jurassic, Wyoming, U.S.A. Op. p. 32 IV. Hind Limb and Tail of a Dinosaurian Land-Reptile (Cetiosaurus leedsi) discovered by Mr. Alfred N. Leeds in the Oxford Clay near Peterborough ....... Op. p. 36 V. Skeleton of a Dinosaurian Land-Reptile (Iguanodon ather- jieldensis), discovered by Mr. R. W. Hooley in the Wealden of Atherfield, Isle of Wight ..... Op. p. 42 VI. Skeleton of a Cotylosaurian Land-Reptile (Pareiasaurus baini), discovered by Prof. H. G. Seeley in the Karroo Formation of Tamboer Fontein, Cape Colony ..... Op. p. 52 VII. Skeleton of a Plesiosaurian Marine Reptile (Cryptocleidus oxoniensis), discovered by Mr. Alfred N. Leeds in the Oxford Clay near Peterborough . Op. p. 58 VIII. Skeleton of a Marine Ichthyosaurian (Ichythosaurus tenuirostris), from the Lower Lias of Street, Somersetshire . Op. p. 66 IX. Skulls of Two Species of a Horned Tortoise (Miolania). (a) Miolania a'rgentina, from the supposed Cretaceous of Chubut, Argentina ; (6) Miolania oiveni, from the Pleistocene of Queens¬ land .......... Op. p. 72 Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT. FIG. PAGE 1. Skull and lower jaw of Odontopteryx toliapica, with bony denticles on jaws, from the London Clay of Sheppey .... 2 2. Skeleton of a toothed flightless bird, Hesperornis regalis, from the Cretaceous of Kansas, U.S.A. (After Marsh) .... 3 3. Skeleton of a toothed flying bird, Ichthyornis victor, from the Cretaceous of Kansas, U.S.A. (After Marsh) .... 4 4. Restored skull and lower jaw of Phororhachos longissimus, from the Santa of Cruz Formation Patagonia ..... 5 5. Diagrammatic sketch of the fossil Lizard-tailed Bird, Archmopteryx macrura, from the Lithographic Stone (Upper Jurassic) of Eichstadt, Bavaria . .13 6. Skull and lower jaw of Archmopteryx siemensi, showing teeth, from the Lithographic Stone (Upper Jurassic) of Eichstadt, Bavaria. (After Dames)', ......... 14 7. Jaws of Mosasaurus camperi, from the Upper Cretaceous of Maastricht, Holland. (After Cuvier) ..... 18 8. Skeleton of Platecarpus coryphceus, from the Upper Cretaceous of Kansas, U.S.A. (After Williston) ...... 19 9. Skeleton of Pteranodon occidentalis, from the Upper Cretaceous of Kansas .......... 21 10. Skeleton of Pterodactylus spectabilis, from the Upper Jurassic Lithographic Stone of Bavaria ...... 22 11. Restoration of Rhampliorhynchus phyllurus, from the Lithographic Stone of Bavaria. (After 0. C. Marsh) .... 23 12. of Skull the existing Crocodilus paluslris, from India . ' 25 13. Skull of Metriorhynchus hastifer, from the Kiinmeridge Clay of Normandy .......... 26 14. Tooth of Dakosaurus maximus, from the Kimmeridge Clay of Ely . 27 15. Skull of Pelagosaurus typus,.from the Upper Lias of Normandy. (After Owen) ......... 28 16. Skull of Belodon kapffi, from the ICeuper of Wiirtemberg. (After H. von Meyer) ......... 29 17. Skull and mandible of Ceratosaurus nasicomis, from the Upper Jurassic of Colorado, U.S.A. (After 0. C. Marsh) . 31 18. Tooth of Thecodontosaurus platyodon, from the Upper Trias of Bristol .......... 31 19. Skull and mandible of Diplodocus. from the Upper Jurassic of Colorado, U.S.A. (After P. C. Marsh) .... 32 20. Skeleton of Brontosaurus excelsus, from the Upper Jurassic of Wyoming, U.S.A. (After 0. C. Marsh) .... 36 Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries VI LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT FIG. PAGE 21. Tooth, probably of Ornithopsis hulkei, from the Wealden of the Isle of Wight ......... 39 22. Tooth of Iguanodon, from the Wealden of Sussex ... 41 23. Skeleton of Iguanodon bernissartensis, from the Wealden of Belgium. (After L. Dollo) ....... 41 24. Skull and mandible of Iguanodon bernissartensis, from the Wealden of Belgium. (After L. Hollo) ...... 42 25. Skull and mandible of Sterrholophus flabellatus, from the Cretaceous of Wyoming, U.S.A. (After 0. C. Marsh) .... 46 26. Restored skeleton of Triceratops prorsus, from the Cretaceous of Wyoming, U.S.A. (After 0. C. Marsh) .... 46 27. Upper tooth of Scelidosaurus harrisoni, from the Lower Lias of Charmouth, Dorset ........ 47 28. Skull and mandible of Hyperodapedon gordoni, from the Trias of Elgin. (After A. S. Woodward) ...... 48 29. Skull and mandible of Mlurosaurus felinus, from the Karroo Formation of South Africa. (After Owen) .... 50 ■30. Skulls of Dicynodon lacerticeps and Aulacocephalodon baini, from the Karroo Formation of South Africa. (After Owen) . 50 31. Dorsal vertebra of Naosaurus claviger, from the Permian of Texas. (After E. D. Cope) ........ 52 32. Vertebra of Plesiosaurus, from the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis . 56 33. Skeleton of Plesiosaurus macrocephalus, with restored outline of body and tail-fin, from the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis . 57 34. 'Tooth of Polyptychodon interruptus, from the Cambridge Greensand 58 35. Sauropterygian mandibles ....... 61 36. Skull and mandible of Nothosaurus mirabilis, from the German Musehelkalk ......... 62 37. Skeleton of Lariosaurus balsami, from the Italian Musehelkalk . 62 38. Skull of Cyamodus laticeps, from the German Musehelkalk . 63 39. Skeleton of Ichthyosaurus communis, with restored outline of body and fins, from the English Lower Lias . .64 40. Skull and mandible of Ichthyosaurus zetlandicus, from the Upper Lias of Normandy. (After Zittel) ..... 65 41. Tooth of Ichthyosaurus campylodon, from the Lower Chalk of Folkestone .......... 65 42. Vertebral centrum of Ichthyosaurus, from the Kimmeridge Clay of Wiltshire .......... 66 43. Paddles of Ichthyosaurus intermedins, from the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis ......... 69 44. Carapace of Hardella thurgi, from the Pliocene of the Siwalik Hills, India .......... 70 45. Skeleton of the existing Logger-head Turtle (Thalassochelys caretta) . .71 46. Carapace of Chelone benstedi, from the Ghalk of Kent ... 72 47. Skeleton of Andrias scheuchzeri (" Homo diluvii testis "), from the Upper Miocene of Oeningen, Baden ..... 77 48. Skull of Mastodonsaurus giganteus, from the Lower Keuper of Wiirtemberg. (After E. Fraas) ...... 78 49. Transverse section of tooth of Mastodonsaurus giganteus, from the Lower Keuper of Wiirtemberg. (After Owen) . 79 50. Vertebra of Actinodon rochei, from the Lower Permian of France. (After A. Gaudry) . ....... 80 51.