212 REPORT — 1844. 



ring the sandstone of Connecticut to the New Red system. These Ornithich- 

 nites therefore, abounding in this ancient formation, and separated by so vast 

 an interval of time from the oldest traces of fossil birds in our own hemi- 

 sphere, remain as one of those anomalies which serve to curb the eager spirit 

 of generalization, and to teach us that Nature fulfils her own designs without 

 regard to human theories. Let us hope that the American geologists will 

 never rest till they have discovered some osseous remains of the rara: aves 

 whose foot-prints have given rise to such perplexing questions. 



The rest of the subject of Fossil Birds may be briefly noticed. The oldest 

 example which I can meet with of their actual occurrence is mentioned in 

 Thurmann's ' Soulevemens Jurassiques,' (as quoted by Von Meyer, ' Palaeo- 

 logica,') who remarks however that the statement seems to require confirma- 

 tion. It is there stated that the fossil remains of Birds occur, in company 

 with those of Saurians and Tortoises, in the limestone of Soleure, which is 

 considered equivalent to the Portland beds. 



A better authenticated instance is recorded by Dr. Man tell (Fossils of 

 Tilgate Forest, p. 81 ; Geol. Trans., vol. v.; Proc. Geol. Soc, vol. ii. p. 203), 

 who describes certain bones from the Wealden beds of Sussex, which he 

 shows (and his opinion is backed by tliat of Cuvier and of Owen) to belong 

 to Waders and probably to Ardeida. Other bones from the same locality 

 apparently belong to birds, yet present a nearer approach to the reptilian 

 type than any known existing genus. 



Another example of a fossil bird from the secondary series is mentioned by 

 Dr. Morton (Synopsis of Cretaceous Rocks of United States), who procured 

 a specimen which he refers to the genus Scolopax, in the ferruginous sand of 

 New Jersey. This formation he considers to represent the Greensand of 

 Europe, and though its precise equivalent may be somewhat doubtful, there 

 is no doubt of its belonging to the Cretaceous series. 



In the " Glaris slate" of Switzerland, a member of the lower portion of the 

 Cretaceous system, a nearly entire skeleton of a bird resembling a Swallow, 

 has been found by Professor Agassiz. 



The Chalk of Maidstone has supplied Lord Enniskillen with some fragments 

 of the skeleton of a large natatorial bird, considered by Professor Owen to be 

 most nearly allied to the Albatros (Proc. Geol. Soc, vol. iii. p. 298 ; Geol. 

 Trans., vol. vi.). 



Proceeding to the Tertiai'y series, we find that ornitholites begin to appear 

 in greater abundance. Here, as in every other department of the animal 

 kingdom, we perceive a rapid approximation to the fauna which "is charac- 

 teristic of the period in which we now live. 



The Eocene clays of the Isle of Sheppey have produced the bones of a bird 

 affording almost the only example of a decidedly new ornithological form 

 which has been rescued from the ruins of past geological ages. The sternum 

 of this bird is fortunately preserved, and Professor Owen having worked out 

 its affinities to all known genera with his usual sagacity and success, has ar- 

 rived at the conclusion that it forms a new genus among the Vidfuridce, which 

 he has denominated Lithortiis (Proc. Geol. Soc, vol. iii. p. 163). This inter- 

 esting specimen will soon be described in Prof. Owen's work on ' British Fossil 

 Mammalia and Birds,' now in course of publication. 



In Kcenig's ' Icones fossilium sectiles,' fig. 91 , some fragments of bones from 

 the Isle of Sheppey are delineated, which the author considers to belong to 

 a natatorial bird, and which he designates JBuckla?idium d'duvii. If the 

 original specimens are in existence they would well deserve further examina- 

 tion. 



The remaining instances of fossil birds from the Tertiary formations call for 



