BIRDS. 



69 



c. Birds. 



Birds are the rarest of fossil vertebrates. But that this class 

 of animals lived in the Swiss forests in Miocene times is proved 

 by several undoubted remains of birds which have been disco- 

 vered at CEningen. According to H. von Meyer they belong to 

 six species ; but in only one case are they sufficiently well pre- 

 served to enable Prof. Heer to determine their genus. Of this 

 species the sternum, scapula, and bones of the wings have been 

 obtained. They indicate an aquatic bird of the family AnatidaB, 

 a little smaller than the wild goose (Anas segetum) ; H. von 

 Meyer has named it Anas ceningensis (fig. 323 B, b) . Prof. Heer 



Fig. 323 B. 



Fig. 323 B. b } Anas ceningensis, H. von Meyer, from CEningen. Sternum 

 with the humerus and bones of the forearm, the scapula, and the cla- 

 vicle, natural size. , foot of a bird from CEningen, from a photograph 

 one fourth natural size. 



possesses a fine feather from CEningen, the vane of which must 

 have been about an inch wide (PL XI. fig. 3), and others only a 

 few lines in breadth. 



