356 Mr. C. W. Andrews on Remains of Birds 



Lensrth of femora : — 



Of the skull the only remains are the occipital regions of 

 two specimens. Compa7'ison of these with the skulls of the 

 recent forms shows that in the greater degree of development 

 of the supra- foraminal ridge, and of the mammillary pro- 

 cesses, they approach most nearly to that of /-*. crispus. 

 It must, however^ be remarked that, in the absence of a 

 considerable series of skulls of the different species, it is 

 difficult to determine what may be mere individual variations 

 and what specific differences. 



In one of the specimens the cerebellar prominence is more 

 marked than in P. crispus, approximately to that seen in 

 P. onocrotalus. 



The only other portions of the skeleton preserved are a 

 few cervical vertebra), more or less imperfect, and some 

 pieces of the sternum. 



From these facts there can be no doubt that P. crispus 

 inhabited the West of England in considerable numbers, and 

 that it not improbably bred there and was used for food by 

 the people of the lake-dwellings. 



According to Dresser^, this species now ranges through 

 Southern and South-eastern Europe, Northern Africa, and 

 Southern Asia as far as India. It has not been recorded from 

 Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, or Italy, and is rare 

 in Transylvania, though abundant on the Lower Danube ; 

 in North Germany a single occurrence is recorded. 



In Southern Hussia it is widely distributed, and in the 

 spring passes northward in large flocks. In the breeding- 

 season it occurs fairly far north in Russia, and specimens 

 have been seen in the Government of Kasan and near 

 Ekaterinburg, localities lying several degrees to the north of 

 those in which the remains of this bird have been found in 

 this country. 



* 'Birds of Europe," vol. vi. p. 199. 



