20 Wilham Davies—Fossil Bird-remains of India. 
Fossil. Recent. 
Extreme length of fragment of tarso-metatarsal, exclusive of Siwalik, African. 
phalange Be Te oe bee OS pine 
Greatest transverse diameter of the trochlea ... we DA bene Dre 
Transverse diameter of third trochlea ... T5650 cco ape 
Antero-posterior diameter of ditto 000 aoe woe) ROE lay 
Transverse diameter of outer trochlea ... aes pee RS 2// 3057 
Antero-posterior ditto ... 1:05 11 
Transverse diameter, a ee end of phalange -<:)) AOD nag 
Vertical ditto... “ ae Ake cod veo LAGOU eee erp. 
The fossil phalange is a little abraded, which will account for the 
difference in these measurements. 
The avian vertebre associated with the preceding are twelve in 
number, ten of which form a consecutive series; of these, the first 
and the last are represented by little more than their respective 
approximating articular ends, the others being all more or less 
perfect as regards the centra; but unfortunately the confluent 
processes which form the vertebral canal, and also the styliform 
pleurapophyses, are mutilated in a greater or less degree in all. 
Each vertebra is closely articulated to that which precedes and 
follows it by the articulating surface of the centra and of the 
zygapophyses; and the series is bent back so as almost to describe 
a circle; this has been accomplished without any apparent detach- 
ment of the centra at their articular junctions, but mainly by forcing 
the zygapophysial facets beyond their natural boundaries, and this is 
shown by the shght addition that the curve makes to the length, in 
the aggregate measurement of the series. 
Five of these vertebree are figured, of reduced size, upon the afore- 
mentioned unpublished plate R (figs. 1, la) of the ‘‘ Fauna Antiqua 
Sivalensis;” and represent respectively the 3rd to the 7th of the fossil 
series, but of which only the posterior and anterior halves of the ord 
and 7th are there delineated. By measurement and by comparison 
with the bones of the neck of the same skeleton of the African 
Ostrich (356a, B.M.), I believe the conjoined fossil vertebre to 
represent the 5th to the 14th inclusive; and therefore representing 
the entire middle portion of the neck: the normal number of 
cervicals in the Ostrich being 18. The antero-posterior dimensions 
of the respective centra of the fossil series, which with one or two 
exceptions can be measured very accurately, agree with those having 
the same numerical position in the neck of the recent bird; and they 
each increase in length in the same ratio as they recede from the 
head. 
The five vertebra figured upon the unpublished plate R represent 
respectively the 7th to the 11th in the natural series, and I select 
one of these, the 8th; of which a view is there given (fig. la) of the 
inferior surface of the centrum, as a good example for measure- 
ment :— 
Fossil. Recent. 
Length of centrum along median line... és 2:25... 20 
Katerior transverse diameter of vertebra over vertebr al canal 11H) 1°15 
Posterior transverse diameter of centrum, inferior surface ... 0°7 0°7 
Vertical diameter from summit of neural spine 1-05 1:0 
