British Fossil Birds. 389 



stoutness^ the nearly cylindrical middle region of the sliaft^ 

 the absence of any groove down the back of the latter, the 

 closed tubes perforating the hinder part of the proximal ex- 

 tremity, and the reflection of the small and short second or 

 inner distal trochlea. The inflection of its distal extremity, 

 in which the bony bridge over the extensor groove is deeply 

 sunk and has no tubercle, alone suflices to distinguish the 

 tibia ; although the somewhat longer and more slender tibia 

 of the Coot [Fulica) presents an approximation to the same 

 form. The comparatively long and slender humerus may 

 generally be recognized by the very large size of the aperture 

 of the pneumatic foramen at its proximal extremity ; while the 

 coracoid is equally slender, and sufficiently characterized by 

 the slightness of its articulation with the sternum, the liigli 

 position and crotchet-like form of the subclavicular process, 

 and the abrupt truncation of the lower part of the posterior 

 border. 



Among the Geese, or Anserince, remains of the Grey Lag 

 Goose [Anser cinereus), — now so rare in this country, and 

 only breeding on a few Scottish lakes, although formerly abun- 

 dant in the eastern counties, — have been obtained from the 

 fens of Cambridge and Norfolk, as well as from river-deposits 

 hear Salisbury ; while some bones in the British Museum 

 from the Pleistocene brick-earth of Grays are probably like- 

 wise referable to this species. To the somewhat smaller 

 Bean Goose [A. segetum), which, although never breeding 

 in the British Isles, is very abundant during the winter in 

 Ireland, have been referred provisionally certain bones from 

 Shandon cave, Co. Waterford; while several bones in the 

 British Museum from Kent's Cavern, Torquay, cannot be 

 distinguished from corresponding recent bones. Remains of 

 Geese from the brick-earths of liford and Grays, which have 

 not been specifically determined, are rather larger than the 

 corresponding bones of the recent skeleton of a Bean Goose 

 with which they were compared. Mr. E. T. Newton also 

 refers to an undetermined Goose a metacarpus from the Nor- 

 folk Forest-bed. On the Continent we have evidence of a 

 species of Anser from the Upper Miocene of Qj^ningen, on 



