312 Geological Society : — 



exceeds the depth or fore-and-aft diameter of the condyles. The 

 supra-tendinal bridge is of moderate breadth, is transverse, and median 

 in position ; its lower outlet looks forward just above the wide and 

 shallow intercondyloid space. The extinct Aptornis chiefly differs 

 from the Notornis in the less median position of the bridge, and in 

 the more shallow canal leading to it. In the Dinornis, the breadth 

 and depth of the condyles are equal ; the outer condyle is the broad- 

 est, the inner one is the most prominent ; their articular surfaces 

 are so continuous as to leave no space answering to the intercondy- 

 loid space in the Aptornis, Notornis, &c. The bridge is situated 

 nearer the inner side of the bone, is subtransverse, rather narrow, 

 with a widely elliptical lower outlet opening above the inner condyle. 

 The Gastornis was a bird of the size of the Ostrich, but with more 

 bulky proportions, and in that respect more resembling the Dinornis : 

 it appears to have had nearer affinities with the wading order, and 

 therein, perhaps, to the Rallida ; but the modifications of its tibia 

 indicate a genus of birds distinct from all previously known genera. 



3. "Description of some Mammalian P'ossils from the Red Crag 

 of Suffolk." By Prof. Owen, F.Il.S., F.G.S. 



The fossils described in this paper were referred by the author to the 

 following genera and species : — Rhinoceros, a species nearly allied to, 

 if not identical with, Rh. Schleiermacheri, Kaup ; from crag-pits at 

 Wolverston, Sutton, and Felixstow, Suffolk. Tapirus priscus, Kaup ; 

 from Sutton. Sus palaochoerus , YidM^^ ; from Sutton. Sus antiquus, 

 Kaup ; from Ramsholt, Suffolk. Equus : two species, one appa- 

 rently Eq. plicidens, Owen ; from Bawdsey, Suffolk. Cervus dicra- 

 nocerus, Kaup ; from Ipswich and Sutton. Cervus megaceros, from 

 Felixstow. Ursus, sp. indet., less than Ur. spelaus. Canis, appa- 

 rently C. Lupus. Felix pardo'ides, Owen; from Newbourn, Suffolk. 

 Mastodon longirostris, Kaup ; from Sutton, Felixstow, and Ipswich. 

 Ziphius longirostris, Cuv. {Dioplodon Becanii, Gervais) ; Hoplocetus 

 crassidens, Gervais ; Balcenodon affinis, Bal. dejiniia, Bal. gibbosa, 

 Bal. emarginata, Owen ; and remains of species of Delphinus, of the 

 size of the Grampus. 



The conclusion which the author deduced from the large propor- 

 tion of miocene forms of mammalia, and the very great numerical 

 superiority of individual fossil specimens from the Red Crag refer- 

 able to miocene species, and from the admixture of these fossils with 

 a few eocene and pleistocene species, was that the Red Crag was the 

 debris of former tertiary strata of different periods, and, in a great 

 proportion, of the miocene period. 



March 5, 1856. — D. Sharpe, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. "Notes on the Geology of some parts of South Africa." By 

 R. N. Rubidge, Esq. In a letter to Sir Roderick Murchison, F.G.S. 



Mr. Rubidge first referred to the occurrence of gold at Smithfield 

 in the Orange River Sovereignty, as detailed in his letter of May 

 1854, published in the Society's Journal, No. 41 ; and stated that 

 several pieces of gold had since been found at the spot described in 



