1893.] BIRD-BOyES FROM THE MIOCENE OF ISERE. 519 



Phasianus altus, IMilue-Edwards. (Plate XLI. figs. 5-8.) 



As already mentioned, Di'. Deporet has referred to this species 

 certain remains from !St. Alban, and foLir specimens in the present 

 collection seem to fully justify this determination. The bones 

 GO which this species was originally founded were but -very 

 iiuperfect, and our knowledge of its osteology was advanced by 

 those described by Dr. Deperet, which included the lower end of 

 the tibia, the upper extremity of the tarso-metatarsus, a part of 

 the upper end of the femur, and some fragments of the meta- 

 carpus. The specimens in the present collection comprise the 

 proximal part of the left tarso-metatarsus (Plate XLI. tigs. 5, 5 a), 

 the distal end of the left humerus (fig. 6), the entire left ulna 

 (fig. 7), and the complete left metacarpus (fig. 8). Prom their all 

 pertaining to the left side it seems not improbable that all the four 

 are portions of a single bird. 



These bones agree Avith those previously described in indicating 

 a bird of considerably larger size than the (Common Pheasant, being 

 in fact intermediate in size between that species and the Peacock. 

 They also decisively confirm the reference of the species to the 

 genus to which it is assigned \ Por instance the intermetacarpal 

 bar of the metacarpus (which of itself sufficiently indicates the 

 gallinaceous nature of that bone) is far smaller than in Pavo, and 

 comes nearest in this respect to Phasiamis ; while the proximal 

 part of the tarso-metatarsus has the same nai'row shape as in the 

 latter, with a deeper groove and one more ridge on its posterior 

 surface than in Pavo. Other characteristic features of Phasianus 

 are the single and prominent tubercle for the insertion of the 

 tibiahs anticus, the openiug of the two superior perforations on 

 the same horizontal line, the large size of the tibial cups and the 

 couiparatively small tubercle between them, and also the single 

 tube and two shallow grooves in the hypotarsus. The diameter of 

 the proximal extremity of this speciiuen is 0,017 mm., against 

 0,016 mm. in the one described by Dr. Deperet; while both in his 

 and the present specimen of the metacarpus thc^ diameter of the 

 proximal extremity is (»,015. Beyond stating that the length of 

 the ulna is 0,094 mm., while the transverse diameter of the distal 

 end of the humerus is 0,0205 mm., the other specimens do not call 

 for further mention. 



Paljeobttx EDWAnnsi, Deperet. (Plate XLI. figs. 9, 10.) 



The Gallinac(;ous birds from the Upper Eocene of Paris and the 

 Lower JNiiocene of the Allier desci'ibed by M. ]Miln(>-l*]d wards 

 under the nam^^ of PaJtTortijx are easily recognized, among other 

 characteristics, by the large siz(! of the tricipitai fossa of the 

 humerus, wliich extends for a considerable distance under the head. 

 In this featun; these birds resemble 1o a certain extent I he li\ing 



' 1 miiy mention that, us is frtniiiently my cnslom, I (Ictfi-miiit'd tlic 1,'ciiiis of 

 these bont'S bcrori.' relLTriiif^ to tlip ilpMcripl-ion of \\\r biriU pn-vioiisly iH'c'(jrilr(l 

 from the lormiilion whence they were obLiiiiied. 



:i5* 



