224 MisceUaneous. 



expanded behind the sacrosciatic notch and united with the ihum, as 

 it very generally does in earinate birds. It is very desirable that this 

 part of the skeleton of Archceopteryx should be figured again. 



The scapula has a distinct clavicular process, as in earinate birds ; 

 and it seems to be pretty clear that the scapula had that twofold 

 angulation upon the coracoid which is characteristic of the Carinatce. 



The glenoidal end of the coracoid is unlike the corresponding part 

 of that bone in any of the Ratitce ; but it is more like that of a 

 Pterodactyle than that of any earinate bird which I have met with. 

 It is less prominent (and the counterpart shows that this shortness is 

 not the result of fracture) than in any recent bird, provided with a 

 strong furculum, with which I am acquainted. In fact, in its form, 

 and strength relatively to the shoulder-girdle, the so-called " fur- 

 culum " appears to me to be the greatest osteological difficulty pre- 

 sented by Archecopteryx. I prefer waiting for the light which will 

 be afforded by another specimen to the indulgence of any speculation 

 regarding this bone ; in the meanwhile, I by no means wish to deny 

 that appearances are strongly in favour of the interpretation which 

 has been put upon it. 



In conclusion, I may remark that I am unaware of the existence 

 of any "law of correlation" which will enable us to infer that the 

 mouth of this animal was devoid of lips, and was a toothless beak. 

 The soft tortoises {Trionyoe) have fleshy lips as well as horny beaks ; 

 the Chelonia in general have horny beaks, though they possess no 

 feathers to preen ; and Rhamphorhrjnchus combined both beak and 

 teeth, though it was equally devoid of feathers. If, when the head 

 oi Archceopteryx is discovered, its jaws contain teeth, it will not the 

 more, to my mind, cease to be a bird, than turtles cease to be reptiles 

 because they have beaks. 



All birds have a tarso-metatarsus, a pelvis, and feathers, such, in 

 principle, as those possessed by Archaopteryx. No known reptile, 

 recent or fossil, combines these three characters, or presents feathers, 

 or possesses a completely ornithic tarsometatarsus, or pelvis. Compso- 

 gnathus comes nearest in the tarsal region, Megalosaurus and Igua- 

 nodon in the pelvis. But, so far as the specimen enables me to judge, 

 I am disposed to think that, in many respects, Archceopteryx is more 

 remote from the boundary- line between birds and reptiles than some 

 living Ratitce are. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Size of Foetus of the Pilot Dolphin. 



Mr. Edward Gerrard, junior, extracted the foetus from an adult 

 female of Glohiocephalus svincval that was thrown ashore at the 

 Firth of Forth. The female was 12 feet, the foetus 3 feet long. 

 The head of the foetus is very globular ; and the beak is well marked, 

 but very short. — J. E. Gray. 



