354 NATURAL SCIENCE. Nov.. 



shadows and how much is real, is a matter upon which Dr. Hurst 

 will be much more qualified to speak than I. Up to the present, all 

 who have described the fossil seem to agree that only one free carpal 

 can be certainly made out, and that this probably corresponds to the 

 radiale. 



Whichever of the two possible arrangements of the carpus is 

 correct, the wing of Archaeopteryx resembles in a remarkable degree 

 that of existing birds ; this fact will be seen at a glance if the reader 

 will turn to PI. II., Fig. II., where he will find for comparison the 

 figure of the wing of a half-grown ostrich. 



The differences, then, I think, between the wing of Archaeopteryx 

 and that of existing birds, are rather those of degree than of kind, 

 such as the fusion of the metacarpals, and the reduction in the number 

 of the phalanges of the third digit, and the little platforms of bone 

 thrown out from the posterior margin of the phalanges of the II. digit; 

 these are merely improvements on the original pattern, so to speak. 

 The metacarpal bones of Archaeopteryx were evidently quite as stout 

 as those of modern birds; that of the III. digit is even stouter. 



In the possession of claws, Archaeopteryx agrees with existing 

 birds, in that we might enumerate many species in which claws are 

 present on digits I. and II., and in at least one instance — that of a 

 young ostrich — on III. also. The function of these claws we shall 

 discuss later. 



The resemblances between the wing of Archaeopteryx and that of 

 modern birds, as I have just said, are greater than the differences; or 

 to be more exact, the bones of the arm, forearm, and hand of Archae- 

 opteryx correspond so nearly with those of modern birds, that there 

 seems no reason for suspecting that there existed in Archaeopteryx 

 any structures — such as additional digits — other than those seen on 

 the slab. 



Judging from the photograph, the wing-feathers of Archaeopteryx 

 seem, relatively to the size of the bird, quite as well adapted to the 

 purposes of flight as those of modern birds ; and we may infer, there- 

 fore, they were arranged and attached to the skeleton in a very 

 similar manner. I doubt not but that, to many of my readers, the 

 precise relations between the skeleton and the supported feathers have 

 hitherto been regarded as details, not necessary, or of any value what- 

 soever to them in the " struggle for existence," and hence, they have 

 been entirely ignored. Let me briefly sketch the facts. The wing- 

 feathers are divided into (A) remiges or quills, and (B) tectrices 

 or coverts. The remiges are the longest and strongest feathers in 

 the wing, and run along the posterior (postaxial) margin of the 

 forearm and hand. They are divided into (a) primaries (meta- 

 carpo-digitals), and (f3) secondaries (cubitals). The primaries 

 rarely exceed eleven in number, and never fall below nine, while the 

 secondaries vary considerably. The primaries are distributed along 

 the manus in a definite order ; thus, save in rare exceptions. 



