C. R. Eastman — Another Egg of Stmtkiolithus. 435. 



in realizing the high price set upon his treasure, was unwilling to 

 part with it for less, and it consequently remained in possession of 

 the family for many years. But ultimately a sad fatality overtook 

 it. Through some accident it was shattered into nearly forty pieces, 

 and its commercial value being looked upon as ruined, steps were 

 taken to present it to the St. Petersburg Museum, where we 

 understand it is now preserved, the fragments having been restored 

 as well as j)ossible. 



Professor Brandt was apprised of the loss at the time, and forth- 

 with communicated the intelligence to the Zoologisclier Anzeiger} 

 This prepared the way for W. von Nathusius to obtain a fragment 

 for microscopic investigation, the results of which were shortly 

 afterwards published in the same journal.^ Nathusius found the 

 shell structure so similar to that of tlie common ostrich that he did 

 not hesitate to declare the parent bird must have belonged to the 

 genus Strutliio. Professor Brandt, however, in view of the extra- 

 ordinary size of the egg, and the fact that no fossil bones were 

 discovered which might throw light on its relationships, had already 

 proposed the new genus Struthiolithus, for the reception of both the 

 ovulite and its as yet unknown parent bird. Now, as most persons 

 are aware, egg-shells vary considerably in structure, even when 

 those of the same species are compared ; in some cases, indeed, if 

 one had but the mere shells to deal with, he might infer greater 

 differences between the birds laying them than actually exist. On 

 this account, and in lieu of specific anatomical evidence to the 

 contrary, we prefer to follow Professor Brandt's example, and 

 recognize Struthiolithus as a distinct genus until it shall be proved 

 to bc' identical with some other known form. The specific title 

 applied by Professor Brandt is S. Chersonensis, which up to the 

 present time has been illustrated only by the unique type. 



By great good fortune a second specimen has recently been 

 brought to light, fully as perfect as the type, and agreeing with 

 it so closely in form and dimensions that we cannot doubt for 

 a moment it belongs to the same species. A comparison with the 

 type was facilitated through the courtesy of Professor Brandt, who 

 presented the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., 

 with a cast of the original. It is expected that this institution will 

 eventually acquire the new example also, negotiations to that effect 

 having been entered into, and for the present it is deposited there. 



The history of the new specimen is as follows : — Four or five 

 years ago a farmer in Northern China, while working at the foot 

 of a bank of earth about six metres high, dug out what he considered 

 to be a pair of ' dragon's ' eggs. One was broken, the other entire, 

 and presuming the latter to have some commercial value, he took 

 it with him to Kalgan, and succeeded in selling it for a small sum 

 to one of the American Board missionaries — the Eev. William P. 

 Sprague, who was residing there. The Kev. James H. Eoberts, 



1 Zool. Anzeiger, vol. viii (1885), No. 191, p. 191. 



2 Ibid., vol. ix (1886), No. 214, p. 47. 



