272 [Nov. 20, 



VII. " On Stasis of the Blood, and Exudation." By RICHARD 

 NORRIS, Esq. (See p. 258.) 



VIII. "On the Theory of Parallels." By Lieut.-General T. PER- 

 RONET THOMPSON, F.R.S. (See p. 268.) 



IX. " On the Fossil Remains of a long-tailed Bird (Archeopteryx 

 macrurus, Ow.) from the Lithographic Slate of Solenhofen." 

 By Prof. RICHARD OWEN, F.R.S. Received November 6, 



1862. 



(Abstract.) 



The author details the circumstances connected with the discovery 

 of the fossil remains, with the impressions of feathers, in the Litho- 

 graphic slates of Solenhofen, of the Oxfordian or Corallian stage of 

 the Oolitic period, and of the acquisition for the British Museum of 

 the specimen which forms the subject of his paper. 



The exposed parts of the skeleton are, the lower portion of the 

 furculum ; part of the left os innominatum ; nineteen caudal vertebrae in 

 a consecutive series ; several ribs, or portions of ribs ; the two scapulae, 

 humeri, and antibrachial bones ; parts of the carpus and metacarpus, 

 with two unguiculate phalanges, probably belonging to the right 

 wing; both femora and tibiae, and the bones of the right foot. Im- 

 pressions of the quill-feathers radiating fan- wise from each carpus, 

 and diverging in pairs from each side of the long and slender tail. 

 The above parts indicate the size of the winged and feathered creature 

 to have been about that of a rook. The several bones, with their 

 impressions and those of the feathers, are described, and the bones are 

 compared with their homologues in different Birds and in Pterodac- 

 tyles. Whence it appears that, with the exception of the caudal 

 region of the vertebral column, and apparently of a bi-unguiculate 

 manus, with less confluent condition of the metacarpus, the preserved 

 parts of the skeleton of the feathered animal accord with the ornithic 

 modifications of the vertebrate skeleton. The main departure there- 

 from is in a part of that skeleton most subject to variety. Twenty 

 caudal vertebrae extend from the sacrum in a consecutive and naturally 

 articulated series, resembling in structure and proportions those of a 

 squirrel. The tail-feathers are in pairs corresponding in number with 

 the vertebrae, diverging therefrom at an angle of 45 backward, be- 

 coming more acute near the end, and the last pair extending nearly 



