1891.] PLEISTOCENE BIRD-REMAINS. 469 



the most characteristic bone, is represented in figs. 1, la of the Plate. 

 The extremity of the outer trochlea is lost, but the specimen is suffi- 

 ciently well preserved to show the high arch formed by the three 

 trochlese, as well as the backward direction of the inner one, by 

 which the metatarsus of the Striges is so readily distinguished from 

 that of the Accipitres. The femur has a length of 0,065, All these 

 bones are much smaller than those of B. ignavus ; and as they agree 

 precisely with those of a skeleton of the South-African B. maculosus 

 in the British Museum, I am disposed to refer them to the North- 

 African B. cinerascens or B. lacteus, the former of which was at one 

 time identified with B. maculosus^. Some terminal phalangeals of 

 the foot from these deposits are probably referable to the same 

 Bubo. 



An imperfect left metacarpus from the Tavolara cave is slightly 

 larger than the corresponding bone in the preceding series, although 

 this difference in size may be merely sexual. It may be observed 

 that the metacarpus of the Striges is very easily recognized by the 

 presence of an incipient inter-nietacarpal process, which attains its 

 full dcTelopment only in certain Passeres and most Gallinse. 



II. Accipitres. 



Milvus, cf. ictinvs, Savigny. — The somewhat worn and imperfect 

 left tarso-metatarsus represented in figs. 2, 2 a of the Plate is from 

 Monte San Giovanni, and presents all the characters of the Accipitres 

 as distinct from the Striges. It is indistinguishable from the corre- 

 sponding bone of a recent skeleton of M, ictinus {regalis) in the 

 British Museum, to which species the specimen may well belong, 

 although I am unable to say definitely that it should not be referred 

 to M. migrans {ater) or M. cegypUacus. The tarso-metatarsus of 

 Circus differs from that of Milvus by its much greater length ; while 

 those of Biiteo and Pernis are distinguished by the different direction 

 of the hinder process of the inner trochlea. 



Aquila, sp. — The terminal phalangeal of the pes of a large Accipi- 

 trine, represented in fig. 3 of the Plate, was obtained from the breccia 

 of Monte San Giovanni, Sardinia. From its length, slenderness, 

 and high degree of curvature, it may be safely referred to the Eagles, 

 as distinct from the Yultures, and may have belonged to the Golden 

 Eagle. A phalangeal of similar type from the breccia of Toga, 

 Corsica, may not improbably pertain to the same species. 



Vultur, cf. monachus, Linn. — The imperfect hinder part of the 

 cranium of a large Accipitrine from the breccia of Monte San Gio- 

 vanni indicates a Vulture which appears inseparable form the exist- 

 ing Vultur monachus. As this specimen is not calculated to give a 

 good figure, I have not had it drawn. This skull is distinguished 

 from the largest species of Aquila not only by its superior dimensions, 

 but also by its more depressed contour and the form of the temporal 

 fossa. The narrow and highly vaulted skull of Gyps is even still 

 more unlike the fossil. Compared, however, with a recent skull of 



1 See Blanford, ' Zoology of Abyssinia,' pp. 302, .303. 



