8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 87 



that our modern avifauna, in so far as its various species is concerned, 

 has had its period of origin and evolution in the Tertiary period, with 

 such changes as have since occurred confined to the minor dififerences 

 that characterize geographic races or subspecies, these being expressed 

 in color and in slight variations in size. As his work with the avian 

 life of the past proceeds, he has become more and more convinced 

 of these facts. It is therefore only natural to suppose that representa- 

 tion of various modern species will be found in Pliocene deposits as 

 more remains of birds from such horizons are discovered. This may 

 be expected especially among such groups as the cormorants, which 

 appear to be of ancient and long stabilized type. 



The modern cormorants of the species Phalacrocorax aitrltiis arc 

 divided in current usage among four subspecies. Without anv attempt 

 to identify the Plitjcene metatarsus here discussed as to geographic 

 race, it may l)e said that it seems closest to Phalacrocorax aiiritiis 

 albociliafus, now living in the Pacific coast region from northern 

 Oregon south to Lower California, and on inland lakes from ( )regon 

 and Utah south to Arizona and western Nevada. 



PHALACROCORAX sp. 



Among specimens collected by Elmer Cook are the heads of two 

 coracoids from a cormorant slightly smaller and slenderer than the 

 average for P. aurifits. One of these ( U.S.N.M. no. 12827) was ob- 

 tained 5^ miles south of the main quarry at an elevation of 400 feet 

 above the river in October 1930. The second specimen (U.S.N.M. 

 no. 12828) was collected 4^ miles south of the Plesippus quarry and 

 350 feet above the streauL These appear to represent a third species 

 of cormorant from this Pliocene locality. 



Order ANSERIFORAIES 



Family ANATIDAE. Ducks. Geese, and Swans 



CYGNUS sp. 



The material collected in 1930 from the locality 200 feet above 

 Snake River, and the same distance below the fossil horse horizon, 

 includes the head of a metacarpus and the shaft of a metatarsus of 

 a swan having the approximate size of the modern whistling swan, 

 Cygniis columbianus. The specimens (U.S.N.M. no. 12238) are worn 

 and broken and cannot be specifically identified. The head of a 

 scapula (U.S.N.M. no. 12830), considerably worn, collected by Cook 

 in November 1930, 5I miles south of the main quarry and 400 feet 



