NO. 2 PLEISTOCENE BIRDS, BERMUDA — WETMORE 9 



The one nearly entire is shorter than a small specimen of the smallest 

 of the living subspecies of Grus canadensis, and is decidedly less in 

 size of shaft and in extent of the broadened end that articulates with 

 the sternum. A size one-fourth less at least is demonstrated, which 

 by analogy would be found likewise in the sternum. The smaller 

 dimension would affect the size of the breast muscle, so that the 

 coracoid is further indication of lessened ability in flight. 



Scapula. — The articular ends of several show no details of signifi- 

 cant difference. 



Vertebrae. — Several that are nearly complete are of the type usual 

 in cranes. 



Skull. — The few fragments consist of the end of one premaxilla 

 with the tip broken, three symphyses of the mandible with the tips 

 missing, and the articular, and immediately adjacent, parts from the 

 left side of the lower jaw. The robust size of these is surprising as 

 they are equal to the larger subspecies of the brown crane Grus 

 canadensis tabida, while the other dimensions in the skeleton, except 

 for the heavy foot, are generally less than those of the smaller race 

 Grus canadensis canadensis. 



Remarks. — The material of this species is sufficient to give a gen- 

 eral outline of the form of the bird, which is seen to be somewhat 

 less in stature than the smaller race of the living sandhill crane Grus 

 canadensis canadensis, though coupled with this is a shorter wing, a 

 heavier leg, seen particularly in the foot, and a larger head. 



A survey of the species of the family Gruidae that have been 

 recognized in fossil form indicates only two that require brief com- 

 ment. Grus conferta Miller and Sibley from the late lower Pliocene 

 of California, recorded from the distal end of a tarsometatarsus, is 

 a much larger bird than Baeopteryx latipes, as the type specimen has 

 the size of the modern whooping crane Grus americana. Another 

 species from the middle Pliocene of Kansas, Grus nannodes Wetmore 

 and Martin, described from a carpometacarpus, perhaps had about 

 the same body size as the species from Bermuda, but agrees in form 

 of the type bone with Grus canadensis and thus is different. 



The weakened wing structure of the Bermudan species, indicative 

 of considerably reduced power of flight, is so different from that of 

 modern cranes as to justify separation in a genus distinct from Grus. 

 The name Baeopteryx is taken from the Greek /ffatos, small and 

 TTTcpvi, wing. The specific name is from the Latin latus, broad, and 

 pes, foot. 



