390 BIRDS. 



by several different animals. In the largest hitherto discov- 

 ered, each footprint is twenty-two inches long, and twelve 

 inches wide, showing that the feet were four times as large as 

 those of the African Ostrich. The animal, therefore, which 

 produced these impressions whether Avian or Reptilian 

 must have been of gigantic size. 



The first unmistakable remains of a bird have been found 

 in the Solenhofen Slates of Bavaria, of the age of the Upper 

 Oolites. A single unique specimen, consisting of bones and 

 feathers, but unfortunately without the skull, is all that has 

 hitherto been discovered ; and it has been named the Archa- 

 opteryx macrura. The characters of this singular and aberrant 

 bird, which alone constitutes the order Saurura, will be shortly 

 given, and need not be repeated here. 



Other doubtful remains of birds have been alleged to occur 

 in the Mesozoic series, but many of these certainly belong in 

 reality to Pterodactyles. In the Cretaceous Rocks, however, 

 of the United States, occur the bones of several Wading Birds 

 (Laornis, Telmatornis, and Palaotringa). Recently, Professor 

 Marsh has described some additional remains of Birds from 

 the Cretaceous Rocks. Some of these belong to a new genus, 

 Graculavus, allied to the existing Cormorants. Others belong 

 to a gigantic swimming bird of remarkable affinities, but hav- 

 ing its nearest allies in the living Colymbida. The genus 

 Hesperornis and family Hesperornidce are proposed for its re- 

 ception. 



In the Tertiary Rocks there are, comparatively speaking, 

 many remains of birds. In the Eocene Rocks of France has 

 been found a large bird, as big as an Ostrich, the so-called 

 Gastornis Parisiensis ; and in England, in the same formation, 

 we have a small Vulture (Lithornis vulturinus), and a King- 

 fisher (Halcyornis toliapicus}. In the Eocene of Claris, in Swit- 

 zerland, occurs also the oldest known Insessorial or Passerine 

 bird, the Protornis Glarisiensis, which was about as big as a lark. 



Numerous remains of birds have likewise been found in the 

 Miocene and Pliocene deposits. Amongst these we have Par- 

 rots, Trogons, Secretary Birds, Petrels, Cranes, Guillemots, 

 &c. With the exception, however, of the Mesozoic Archaop- 

 tcryx, by far the most remarkable remains of birds have been 

 found in the Post-tertiary or Pleistocene deposits. All the 

 remains now alluded to are those of gigantic wingless birds ; 

 and it is worthy of notice that they are almost exclusively 

 found in regions now tenanted by smaller wingless birds, 

 whilst there is reason to believe that some of them have been 

 in existence during the human period. Most of the remains 



