218 



thicker, are firm and better preserYed. The boues of the head were sel- 

 dom found. In one instance (of P. ingens), I uncovered a hand, with the 

 four long bones of the wing-finger, as they lay in place, and found them 

 measuring respectively 24-J inches, 20f inches, 14J inches, and 9 inches ', 

 or 5 feet 8| inches in total length. The width of the first, as it lay com- 

 pressed to one-tenth of an inch, was about 2 inches. My note-book 

 shows seventy-two individual specimens seen in 1875 ; but little more 

 than half could be saved, much as we valued this rare fossil. In some 

 instances, on opening a piece of chalk, the outline could be distinctly 

 seen, but the bone crumbled to dust. 



In Dr. Coues's Key to ^sTorth American Birds, published in 1873, Pro- 

 fessor Marsh has given a list of the fossil birds from the Cretaceous of 

 North America, at which time thirteen species were Ivuown, all first de- 

 scribed by himself. Of these, five are from the Niobrara beds of Kan- 

 sas. Only one Cretaceous bird has been found in Europe. Two of ours 

 are aquatic, allied to the cormorant ; but the other three are of a new 

 order [IclitJtyornithes), and are so anomalous as to be provided with 

 jaws and teeth. One, Hesperornis regalis, is between 5 and 6 feet high, 

 an aquatic diving-bird, with rudimentary wings, incapable of flight. 

 The others, Ichthornis (two species), are small, but with strong wings, 

 of great powers of flight. The latter genus, in addition to its sharp enam- 

 eled teeth, presented another singular feature in the vertebra, which 

 were biconcave, of the true fish type. The bones of the legs and wings 

 were of the usual bird structure. The first specimen of this was found 

 by the writer, and described by Professor Marsh in the American Jour- 

 nal of Science, vol. iv, ]). 311, and illustrated in vol. x, p. 402. Bird- 

 bones being exceedingly difficult in preservation, the number found is 

 very small. 



The soil of this division consists of the fine, black loam, so common 

 to the West, and is, on the high prairie, from 1 to 3 feet deep. Were 

 rain more abundant, it would be a rich farming-region. It is a good 

 grazing-country. The following analyses of soils, collected by S. W. 

 Wil.iston from the Smoky Hill Valley, were made by George E. Patrick, 

 professor of chemistry in the University of Kansas. No. 1 is high- 

 prahie loam; No. 2 is from ''bottom" lauds. Neither soil had ever 

 been cultivated. 



No. 2. Ko. 1. 



Wa'^er 1.895 3.449 



Oigauic matter 3.039 5.224 



Soluble iu cold bydrocbloric acid : 



Oxide of iron-.... 1.503 1.778 



Alumina . 557 . 721 



Lime 4.268 1.618 



Magnesia 422 2.084 



Potassa 214 .202 



Soda .'. .038 .002 



Silicicacid 050 .023 



Sulpburic acid 041 .078 



Carbonic acid 3.510 2. 567 



Pbospboric acid . 173 . 118 



Sodium chloride 003 .009 



Insoluble in cold hydrochloric acid 84. 287 82. 127 



100.000 100.000 

 b. — Fort Hays divmon. 



The massive stratum of limestone above described, together with 

 all the deposits above the sandstones of the Dakota, I shall call the 

 Fort Hays division. 



Professor Hayden, in his Final Report of the United States Geological 

 Survey of Nebraska and Adjacent Territories, p. 67, says : 



