266 NATURAL SCIENCE. April. 1S96 



out of the life-history of modern birds, but the following yet obtain, 

 either as transitory developmental features or throughout life. 



Avian. — Carpus : Probably agreed with that of modern birds ; 

 except that the distal mass of fused bones remained distinct through- 

 out life, and that digit III was provided with a separate carpal bone. 



Manus : Agrees with that of modern birds, in that it is made up 

 of three digits ; also in that digit I had two phalanges and digit II 

 three phalanges, the last phalanx in either case forming a claw. 

 Digit III was also armed with a claw, a feature very rare among 

 existing birds, while it is also peculiar in being made up of four 

 phalanges. 



Hind limb : Bird-like throughout ; with mesotarsal articulation, 

 distally reduced fibula, three metatarsal bones, elongated and 

 strongly anchylosed one with another — but showing traces of their 

 separate nature in the form of suture lines. Reduction of toes to four, 

 all terminating in a clawed phalanx. Hallux with a short, free, 

 backwardly directed metatarsal (Gadow). 



Pelvis : Imperfectly known, but in that its component parts 

 were apparently distinct, resembling that of the Tinamous or the 

 "Ratitae" among modern birds. So much of the ilium as can be seen 

 is characteristically avian. 



Feathers : Their presence on the wings, tail, legs, and in the 

 region of the neck renders it almost certain that feathers clothed the 

 whole body, save the tarso-metatarsus, which was clothed with scales 

 as in existing birds. 



The restoration of the entire fossil given in Fig. 2 was undertaken 

 at the suggestion of Professor E. Ray Lankester. My grateful 

 thanks are due to Mr. A. S. Woodward and Mr. C. W. Andrews, of 

 the British Museum, for help and suggestions in examining the 

 London fossil ; and to Professor Dames, Dr. Jakel, and Dr. Bohm 

 for the many and great facilities they afforded me while studying 

 the Berlin fossil, as well as for much kind help and advice. 



REFERENCES. 



1. Hurst, C. H.— " Biological Theories. VII.— The Digits in a Bird's Wing." 



Natural Science, vol. iii., p. 275 ; 1893. 

 2. . — "The Structure and Habits of Archaopteryx." Natural 



Science, vol. vi., pp. 115, 117, 118-22, 180-86, 246, 247 ; 1895. 



3. Leighton, V. — " The Development of the Wing in Sterna wilsonii." Tufts 



College Studies, no. iii. ; 1894. 



4. Pycraft, W. P. — "The Wing of ArcIn?opteryx." Natural Science, vol. v., 



p. 350 ; 1894. 



The earlier literature is enumerated in the above papers. 

 Oxford. W. P. Pycraft, 



