Notes on Some Little Known American Fossil Tortoises

Abstract

The genus Compsemys was established by Prof. Leidy' in 1856 on a vertebral and costal bone of a tortoise from the Laramie formation of the Judith River.The only character given at that time, was: " The free surface of all the bones is thickly studded with granular tubercles, which give to it a shagreened appearance, differing from anything observed in recent turtles."The type of the genus is Compsemys victus Leidy.It was figured by Prof. Leidy' three years later, in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society.Prof. Cope' adopted this genus and referred to it Emys obscurus Leidy, published at the same time with Compsemys victus.In 1875 he added Compsemys ogmius Cope from the Milk River.*In 1876 Prof. Cope' established two more species from the Laramie of Montana, under the names of Compsemys imbricarius, and C. variolosus.All the species described to this date were from the Laramie Formation.In 1877 a new species of Compsemys was described by Prof. Cope' from the Jurassic Beds of Colorado, under the name of Compsemys plicatulus.The remains of this species were found with those of Dinosaurs by Mr. C.