146 E. T. Newton— Fauna of Norfolk Forest-Bed. 



those of the Otter ; in fact, in every particular, the agreement is so 

 close there can be no question as to their specific identity. 



Measurements. 



Length of alveolar border for cheek-teeth 34 "5 millimetres. 



Depth of ramus under sectorial tooth 13'5 ,, 



Length of sectorial tooth 12"0 ,, 



"Width of sectorial tooth 6'5 ,, 



Bubo maximus (Eagle Owl). (PI. IV. Figs. 3-6.) 

 The second specimen, also found by Mr. A. Savin in the " Forest- 

 Bed " at East Eunton, is a right tarso-metatarsus of a large Owl. 

 This bone is perfect from the lower extremity upwards to the ridge 

 for the attachment of the anterior tibial muscles, but the parts above 

 this are wanting. The most marked characters of this bone are the 

 deeply grooved hinder surface bordered by sharp ridges, and the 

 backward extension of the distal articular surfaces for the second and 

 fourth digits. The last-named peculiarity is such that when the 

 bone is viewed from its lower extremity as in Fig. 5, it is seen to 

 form rather more than a semicircle. The front and sides of this bone 

 are much flattened, giving a square appearance to the shaft. At the 

 lower part, in front, between and a little above the articulations for 

 the third and fourth digits, is the perforation for the tendon of the 

 adductor muscle of the fourth digit ; and immediately above this a 

 second, smaller foramen. Towards the lower part of the hinder and 

 inner surfaces, there is a flattened space for the attachment of the 

 fourth metatarsal. 



The only Birds, so far as I am aware, with a tarso-metatarsus of 

 this form, are the Owls, and some of these agree very closely with 

 this " Forest-Bed " specimen, the species which comes nearest to it 

 being Bubo maximus. 



There is a marked difference between the tarso-metatarsi of 

 different examples of this species ; thus in the Bubo maximus in the 

 College of Surgeons (No. 1602) this bone is not quite so long as our 

 fossil, but is more robust, the upper part being wider and the shaft 

 thicker. The example figured by Milne Edwards,' is not quite so 

 stout, and therefore comes nearer to our fossil. A third specimen, 

 in the College of Surgeons (No. 1602 a), is much more slender 

 than the other two ; it is as nearly as possible the same length as 

 the fossil, but is even more slender. Possibly these diiferences may 

 be due to sex, for the male and female of this species differ in size ; 

 but, be that as it may, this " Forest-Bed " fossil bone is within the 

 extremes of variation of the tarso-metatarsi of Bubo maximus. The 

 front of the fossil is flatter than in either of the recent examples 

 examined ; but as this is due to the sharp muscular ridge on the 

 outer edge, possibly age may have much to do with it. Length of 

 bone from distal end to tibial crest, 65 mm. Greatest width of 

 distal end, 22 mm. Width of shaft in middle, 7*6 mm. 



Spatula cltpeata (Shoveller Duck). (PL IV. Figs. 6, 7.) 



A small but perfect left coracoid of a bird, found by Mr. W. 



^ Giseaux fossiles, pi. 189, f. 1. 



