468 MR. R. LYDEKKER ON [Nov. 3, 



determineci, while in manv cases even their generic position was con- 

 sidered doubtful ; although it was suggested that they belonged ^ 

 to the genera Aquila, Buteo, Sfrix, Picus, Corvus, Turdus, Alauda, 

 Fringilla, Sterna, and Anas. Further, it appears to have been con- 

 sidered probable that many or all of these specimens would prove to 

 belong to existing species. It may be added that of the generic 

 terms mentioned above several appear to be used in their original 

 wide Linnean sense. 



It may be observed that the majority of the Mammalian remains 

 from the Sardinian breccias have been referred to extinct species, 

 such as Arvicola brecciensis (Giebel), A. henseli, F. Major, Mus 

 ortliodon, F. Major, Lagomys sardus (Hensel), Talpa tyrrhenaica, 

 F. Major, and Sorex similis, F. Major. Moreover, as the dwarf 

 extinct Elephants and Hippopotami of Malta, Sicily, and Crete, 

 which clearly indicate African affinities in the Pleistocene Mammahan 

 fauna of the Mediterranean islands, may eventually be discovered in 

 Sardinia, it is a matter of considerable interest to determine whether 

 the Pleistocene Avian fauna of the latter exhibits a similar pro- 

 portion of extinct species, and likewise shows a marked African 

 facies. 



The more migratory habits of birds as compared with mammals 

 preclude an exact comparison between the two groups, but the pre- 

 sence of an African species of Bubo, and also of a Roller, gives a cer- 

 tain African facies to the Sardinian fauna. With regard to the ques- 

 tion of extinct species, the unfortunate imperfection of our English 

 collections of recent avian skeletons (to which I have elsewhere had 

 occasion to allude) renders it in some cases impossible to deter- 

 mine definitely the species to which the specimens belong. In all 

 cases, however, in which I have been able to make specific determin- 

 ations, I have not found characters to distinguish the fossil from ex- 

 isting forms. Here, however, it must be borne in mind that as many 

 species of birds seem to differ from one another only by external 

 characters, it is possible that if we had the fossil birds before us 

 in the flesh points of difference might be detected which are not 

 apparent from the bare bones. 



Of the remains from the Tavolara cave the most abundant are 

 those of Shearwaters and Quails ; while next to these come those of 

 Passerines. The abundance of the bones of Shearwaters and the 

 entire absence of those of Gulls are circumstances very difficult of 

 explanation. The specimens from Bastia are mostly referable to 

 Passerines, more especially Turdidce, but there is one humerus of a 

 Pigeon and the terminal phalangeal of a large Accipitrine. 



I. Striges. 



Bubo, cf. cinerascens, Guerin. — Among the bones from Monte San 

 Giovanni a small species of Bubo is represented by the distal part of the 

 left tarso-metatarsus, the left femur, and the imperfect left metacarpus, 

 all probably belonging to one individual. The tarso-metatarsus, as 



^ See Gervais, Zool. et Pal. Fran9aises, 2iid ed. p. 423. 



