XIIl 



PHYLUM CIIORDATA 



419 



Solouliofi'u, Bavaria, belonging' to the Upper Jurassic ])criod. The 

 Bird (Fig. 1056) was about tlie size of a Crow, and in both fossils 

 U(»t only are the bones preserved, but also many of the feathers. 



Tiie most striking feature in the oriianisation of the Bird is the 

 fact that the td'd is composed of about IS — 20 free caudal vertebra^, 

 gradually tapering to the distal end as in a Lizard, The rectrtces 

 are arranged in two rows, one on each side of the caudal vertebrae, 

 forming a long tail quite unlike that of any existing Bird. The 

 centra |)robably had biconcave faces. In aildition to cervical and 

 thoracic ribs (which were apparently devoid of uncinates), there 

 were abdominal ribs, like those of Sphenodon and Crocodiles. 



The skull (Fig. 1057) is proportionately large, with rounded 

 brain -case and strong jaws, in each of which is a series of conical 



I'lG. lOoT.— Archseopteryx lithographica. The skull, showing teeth and sclerotic plates. 



(Fiiiiu Headlej', after Dames.) 



teeth lodged in sockets. There is no trace of sternum in either 

 specimen, and the coracoids (co.) are only partially visible : the 

 scapuhe (sr.) are slender, curved bones, and there is a U-shaped 

 furcula (c/.). 



Fic. 105S. -Archaeopteryx lithographica. The left manus. c carpal ; d.l, first digit ; 

 2, second digit ; o, tliird digit ; in. m. metacarpals ; r. radius ; u. ulna. (From Headley, after 

 Dames.) 



The bones of the upper- and fore-arm are of the normal avian 

 character: only one carpal is certainly known (Fig. 1058, c.) : it 

 apparently belongs to the distal row, and is closely applied to the 



