284 FOSSIL BIRDS 



the Upper Eocene to the Lower Miocene. The coracoid from the 

 former described by Prof. Seeley {Ann. ami Mag. N. H. ser. 3, xviii. 

 p. 109) as Ftenornis cannot be definitely placed. From the Marls 

 of Ronzon several ornitholites have been recognized by M. Aymard, 

 who refers them to the genera Camascehis, Dolichopterus, Elornis 

 (3 spp.), and Teracus. Of these the first was declared to be allied 

 to the Plovers {Charadriidse), the second to the Gulls, the third to 

 the Flamingos, and the fourth to be a Falconine ; but Prof. 

 Milne-Edwards considers the first and second to be probably 

 identical. From the same beds M. Gervais has described eggs and 

 imprints of feathers, as well as a pelvis, referred by him to Mergus, 

 but regarded by M. Milne-Edwards as a Sula. This naturalist has 

 also described from the typical Lower Miocene beds of Allier and 

 Puy-de-D6me an enormous number of ornitholites (loc. cit), referring 

 them to nearly 50 species. Besides the already -mentioned 

 Palxortyx (3 spp.), Limnatornis, Palxohierax, Pelargopsis,^ Ihidopodia, 

 Elornis, Palxlodus, Hydrornis, and Colymboides, are the extinct genera 

 described by him ; to which the writer (Cat. Foss. B. Br. Mus. p. 169) 

 has added Milnea. Of these the second is referred to the Upupidx 

 (Hoopoe); Palxohierax was allied to Aquila; Pelargopsis'^ was 

 Stork -like ; while Ihidopodia connects the Storks and Ibises ; 

 Milnea being allied to CEdicnemus (Stone-CuRLEw) and Eloi-nis to 

 Limicola. The remarkable Palselodus (5 spp.) was a generalized 

 form to which the Flamingo is allied, but having shorter legs. 

 Hydrornis was an aquatic bird of uncertain affinity ; while Colymboides 

 may be placed in the Colymbidse. The existing genera include Anas, 

 Aquila, Bubo, CoUocalia, Columba, Cypselus, Fuligula, Ibis, Lanius, 

 Larus, Milvus, Motacilla, Pelecanus, PJialacrocorax, Phoenicopterus, 

 Picus, Psittacus, Pterocles, Phallus, Serpientarius, Strix, Sula, Totanus, 

 Tringa, and above all Trogon. In addition to these, remains (as yet 

 undescribed) referable to Himantopus, Leptoptilus, Otis, and Pujfinus, 

 are also said to occur in these beds. Several of the birds of the 

 Allier are represented in equivalent deposits of the basin of Mainz. 

 From the Middle Miocene of Bordeaux and other parts of the 

 south of France humeri of an elongated type, described as 

 Pelagornis, indicate a bird closely allied to the Eocene Argillm-nis. 

 From that of Sansan in the Gers we have as extinct forms 

 Homolopus, allied to the Picidx, Necrornis, which seems to belong 

 to the Musophagidee — a Family now limited to Africa — and Palsso- 

 perdix (3 spp.) a Gallinacean ; Avhile among existing genera we have 

 represented Aquila, Haliaetus , Strix, Cortnis, Phasianus (2 spp.) — a 

 genus generally supposed to have been introduced into Europe in 

 historic times — Eallus, Numenius, Ardea, and Anas. The same 

 Phasianus and a species of Palxortyx have been recorded by Dr. 

 Dep6ret from the equivalent beds of Grive-St.-Alban in the Isere ; 

 * This name being preoccupied, the writer has proposed Pclargodes in its place. 



