GEALL^. 755 



feathei'S of the base of the tail and adjacent parts of the body lying on the 

 block, some in place, othei's loose. 



The characters displayed by the bones and feathers are those of a 

 species of the order Grallce and tribe Limicolce (Totanidees A. Milne Edwards). 

 In the absence of impoiiant parts of the skeleton, it is not possible to ascer- 

 tain the family characteristics, but it is more easy to assign the species to 

 its genus. I cannot detect any features which forbid its reference to the 

 genus Charadrius in the large sense. It jDi-esents important resemblances 

 to the species of Totanus, but ' there are some reasons, to be mentioned 

 later, why this reference is inadmissible. It is clear that there are various 

 genera of Scolo2)acidce to which it cannot be referred, on account of the form 

 of its ossa ischii. 



GRALLiE. 



CHARADRIUS L. 



Charadrius sheppardianus Cope. 



Bulletin U. S. Geol. Surv. Terrs., VI, p. 83, Feb., 1881. 

 Plate LIX, fig. 5. 



Femur one-half the length of the tibia; nine caudal vertebrae; tail 

 gently wedge shaped, apparently without color cross-bars. The preiliac 

 vertebrae are distinct from each other and have only moderately elongate 

 centra. The diapophyses are of moderate length and less width, and are trun- 

 cate at the extremity. Those of successive vertebrae are connected by but 

 few osseous ligamentous spicules. The caudal vertebrae are short and 

 -wide, and have short diapophyses, except the first, which has a long nar- 

 row diapophysis. The last three are in profile, and do not display hypa- 

 poph}'ses. The plowshare bone is an elongate triangle, considerably 

 produced to its superior angle. The basal cotylus for articulation with the 

 centrum immediately in front, is well excavated. 



The pelvis is short and rather wide posteriorly. The fossil presents a 

 superior view of it, with both the pubic bones turning their external faces 

 upwards. The external borders of the anterior plates of the ilia are broken 



