The Coal Measures Amphibia of North America — John Shaqi
The Coal Measures Amphibia of North AmericaMoodie, Roy Lee
Science
The Coal Measures Amphibia of North America
Moodie, Roy Lee
Amphibians, Fossil -- North America; Paleontology -- Carboniferous; Paleontology -- North America
The works of Cope and Dawson, published between 1860 and 1897, on the
Amphibia from the Coal Measures, have been indispensable in the present
study. It has been necessary to rely on the published descriptions and
photographs of the interesting fauna from Nova Scotia, since it has not
been possible for me to visit and examine the types preserved in the Peter
Redpath Museum of McGill University and in the British Museum of Natural
History. It has been possible to check Dawson's work, to a certain extent,
by a study of a series of excellent photographs of the types of Coal
Measures Amphibia collected by Dawson and Lyell and described by Dawson
and Owen. The descriptions of these authors have been drawn on for the
discussion of the Canadian forms.
The descriptions given below have been made full and complete in the
belief that in this way our knowledge of these interesting vertebrates
may be advanced. Many of the species have been described elsewhere in
scattered papers by various authors. These descriptions have been revised
and verified and are collected here in monographic form. The work is a
morphologic and taxonomic revision of the Amphibia from the Coal Measures
of North America. Especial attention has been paid to the factors which
have been most active in the evolution of the group, so far as these
factors may be interpreted. It is the author's hope that this review may
open up the field for many more workers, since we are just beginning to
learn about the evolution of this group of vertebrates.
The trustees of the Elizabeth Thompson Science Fund allotted a grant for
the present investigation. This aid has enabled the writer to present his
work in much better form than would have been possible otherwise. Dr.
S. W. Williston has offered many suggestions and criticisms which have
been gratefully adopted. It is with the greatest sense of pleasure that
the author dedicates this memoir to his teacher and friend. After the
manuscript was completed the author enjoyed a visit from Mr. D. M. S.
Watson, of King's College, London, whose knowledge of the European and
African forms enabled him to offer several very valuable suggestions.
It is fitting also to express my indebtedness to the Carnegie Institution
of Washington for the privilege of publishing my work in the series of
monographs contributed by Dr. E. C. Case, dealing with the anatomy and
relationships of the early land vertebrates of North America.
Roy Lee Moodie.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Prefatory Note iii
Preface vi
List of Illustrations viii-x
CHAP.
I. The Problem of the Amphibia from the Coal Measures 3-5
II. History of the Discovery of Amphibia in the Coal Measures 6-8
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