SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS OF FOSSIL BIRDS. 829 



it had been found) furnished Prof. Marsh tlie basis of his Falceotringa vetus, a smaller species 

 than either of the others of this genus. The known remains are in the Piiihvdelphia Academy. 



44. TELMATORMS PKISCUS. 



Telmatornis prisons, Mak«h, Proc. Phihi. Acad., Jan., 1870, p. 5. — Id., Am. Jouru. Sci., 

 xlix. Mar., 1870, p. 210. —A. Milne-Edw., Rech. Ossem. Foss., ii, 1871, p. 541. — COUES, 

 Key, 1872, p. 349. — Marsh, Am. Journ. Sci., v. Mar., 1873, p. 229. — Id., Odont., 1880, p. 

 200. 



A species about as hirge as the king rail (Eallus elegans) ; from the middle marl bed of 

 tlie upper Cretaceous formation. The remains \v(>re found near llornerstown, New Jersey, and 

 are pr(>serv«-d in the Museum of Yale College. 



45. TELMxVTORXIS AFFINIS. 



Telimitonih rtjfinis. Marsh, Pn.c. Phihv. Acad., Jan., 1870, p. .5. — Id., Am. Journ. Sci., 

 xUx, Mar., 1870, p. 211.— A. Mii.xi>Ed\v., Rech. Ossem. Foss. ii, 1871, p. 541. — CouES, 

 Key, 1872, p. 349. — Marsh, Am. Journ. Sci., v, Mar., 1873, p. 229. —Id., Odont., 1880, 

 p. 201. 



The known remains are in the Yale Museum. 



C — Jurassic Birds. 



The single representative of birds at present known from this formation is odontornithic. 

 46. LAOPTEKYX PKISCUS. 



Laopteryx priscus. Marsh, Am. Jouru. Sci., xxi, Apr., 18S1, p. 341. 

 Frt)m the upper Jurassic beds of Wyoming. The known remains are deposited in the 

 Museum of Yale College. 



The interest attaching to this fossil induces me to transcribe the original description : — 



" The type specimen of the present species is the posterior portion of the skull, wliich 

 indicates a bird rather larger than a blue heron (^Ardea Herodias). The braincase is so 

 broken that its inner surface is disclosed, and in other respects the skull is distorted, but it 

 shows characteristic features. The bones of the skull are pneumatic. The occipital condyle 

 is sessile, hemispherical in form, flattened and slightly grooved above. There is no trace of a 

 posterior groove. The foramen magnum is nearly circular, and small in proportion to the con- 

 dyle. Its plane coincides with that of the occiput, which is slightly inclined forward. The 

 bones around the foramen are firmly co-ossified, but the supra-occipital has separated somewhat 

 from the squamosals and parietals. Other sutures are more or less open. On each side of the 

 condyle, and somewhat below its lower margin, there is a deep, rounded cavity, perforated by 

 a pneumatic foramen. 



"The cavity for the reception of the head of the quadrate is oval in outline, and its longer 

 axis, if continued backward, would touch the outer margin of the occipital condyle. This cav- 

 ity indicates that the quadrate had an undivided head. The braincase was comparatively 

 small, but the hemispheres were well developed. They were separated above by a sharp 

 mesial crest of bone. A low ridge divided the hemispheres from the optic lobes, wliich were 

 prominent. 



''The following measurements indicate the size of the specimen : — 



" Widtli of skull across occiput (apimiximate) 24 mm 



" Transverse iliaiiieter of occipital condyle 5 " 



" Vertical <iiai;>eter 4 " 



" Width of foramen uiagiium 5 " 



•' Height 6 •' 



"Distance from occipital condyle to top of supra-occipital 11 " 



