Fossil Birds in the Marsh Collection of Yale University 75 



There are no perfect fossil skulls in the entire collection, indeed, 

 only a few very small and imperfect fragments of the same. This is 

 likewise true of the sternum, the pelvis, the vertebra and the ribs. On 

 the other hand, the distal and proximal portions of long bones and the 

 various phalanges of the feet are the parts of the skeleton most fre- 

 quently met with, the radius, the femur and the fibula being the 

 bones least often found. 



A large part of the material is fragmentary and useless for the pur- 

 pose of reference. On the other hand, some of it is excellent, and this 

 has been duly determined, described, figured and referred. 



Occasionally the fossil bones of fish, reptiles, and mammals occurred 

 with those of the birds, and were, in most instances, apparently dis 

 covered with them. No attempt was made to do anything with such- 

 material beyond the parts representing birds. 



In the matter of size, the species range all the way from a bird no 

 bigger than a sparrow, to adult specimens of Hesperornis regalis, and 

 the gigantic ostrich-like birds of the genus Diatryma; while in the 

 matter of geologic time, the oldest forms are from the Lower Cre- 

 taceous of the Mesozoic, and the most recent from the Post Pliocene. 



Taken as a whole, I find in this collection fifty-nine (59) lots which, 

 although representing bird material, was found to be, for one reason 

 or another, insufficient for the purpose of making accurate determina- 

 tions or references. 



Doubtless, in the future, a part of this will come to be available; but 

 it should be used with the greatest possible caution, and only in 

 cases where newly discovered material, in any particular instance, is 

 found to supplement that at hand, in such a manner that it, beyond all 

 doubt, furnishes the necessary distinctive characters which are re- 

 quired to make a diagnosis absolutely certain. 



I find but little material in this collection representing birds which 

 still exist in the North American avifauna; the principal ones are: 



1. Branta canadensis 



2. PedicBcetes phasianellus 



3. Haliceetus leucoce phalus 



I also find a specimen which might be referred to Gallinuloides 

 wyomingensis Eastman; but this bird had little or no Rail in it, and 

 in any classification should be arrayed with the Tetraonidoe. 



Among the large toothed divers of the Cretaceous there is a small 

 amount of material representing 



