292 PALAEONTOLOGY 



large as the cuckoo and king-fisher ; the rasoriah, by a species 

 of small quail ; the cursorials, by a species as large as, but 

 with thicker legs than, an ostrich ; the grallatorial, by a curlew 

 of the size of the ibis, and by species allied to Scolopax, Tringa, 

 and Pelidna, of the size of our woodcocks, lapwings, and sand- 

 erlings ; and the natatorial, by species allied to the cormorant, 

 but one of them of larger size, though less than a pelican ; also 

 by a species akin to the divers (Merganser). 



The remains of birds become more abundant and varied as 

 we approach the present time ; especially in the miocene strata, 

 so richly developed in France, although wanting in Britain. 

 One of the most singularly-modified forms of beak is shown by 

 the flamingo. The fossil skull of a species of this genus 

 (PlLOinicopterus) has been found in the miocene fresh-water 

 deposits of the plateau of Gergovia, near Clermonte-Ferrand ; 

 the entire metatarsal bone of a species of eagle (Aqiiihi) or os- 

 prey (Pandion) in the same deposits at Chaptusal, Allier ; and 

 the humerus of a bird allied to and as large as the albatross, 

 in the molasse coquilliere marine at Armagne. Eemains of a 

 vulture, most probably a Cathartcs, have been found in the 

 miocene lacustrine deposits of Cantal. Indications of all the 

 other orders of birds, save the great Cursores or Struthionidct, 

 have also been discovered in miocene strata — those of wading 

 birds being the most numerous. 



Fossil eggs of birds occur in miocene deposits in Auvergne ; 

 and impressions of feathers have been discovered in the pliocene 

 calcareous marls at Montebolca. In pliocene brick-earth de- 

 posits in Essex has been found a fossil metatarsal of a swan, 

 as large as, and not distinguishable from, the existing wild 

 swan ; in the pleistocene clay at Lawford a fossil humerus 

 like that of a wild goose. But most of the ornitholites of 

 this recent tertiary period have been discovered in ossiferous 

 caverns. They belong to birds closely resembling the falcon, 

 wood-pigeon, lark, thrush, teal, and a small wader. The writer 



