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J. A. Allen—Fossil Passerine Bird from Colorado. $81 
Art. LVI.—Description of a Fossil Passerine Bird from the 
Insecthearing Shales of Colorado; by J. A. ALLEN.* 
THE species of fossil bird described in this paper is based on 
some beautifully preserved remains from the insect-bearing 
shales of Florissant, Colorado. They consist of the greater 
part of a skeleton, embracing all of the bones of the anterior and 
posterior extremities, excepting the femora. Unfortunately, 
the bill and the anterior portion of the head are wanting, but 
the outlines of the remainder of the head and of the neck are 
distinctly traceable. The bones are all in situ, and indicate be- 
yond question a high ornithic type, probably referable to the 
Oscine division of the Passeres. The specimen bears also re- 
markably distinet impressions of the wings and tail, indicating 
not only the general form of these parts, but even the shafts 
and barbs of the feathers. Mis 
n size and in general proportions, the present species differs 
little from the Scarlet Tanager (Pyranga rubra) or the Cedar- 
ird (Ampelis cedrorum). The bones of the wings, as well as 
the wings themselves, indicate a similar alar development, but 
the tarsi and feet are rather smaller and weaker ; and hence in 
this point the agreement is better with the short-legged Pewees 
(genus Contopus). These features indicate arboreal habits and 
well-developed powers of flight. The absence of the bill ren- 
ders it impossible to assign the species to any particular family, 
a the fossil on the whale gives the impression of Fringilline 
affinities, 
Paleospiza beila, gen. et sp. nov. 
Wings rather long, pointed. Tail (apparently) f about two- 
thirds the length of the wing, rounded or graduated, the outer 
feathers (as preserved) being much shorter than the inner. 
ne side shows distinctly six rectrices. Tarsus short, its 
length a little less than that of the middle toe. Lateral toes 
subequal, scarcely shorter than the middle one. Hind toe 
about two-thirds as long as the middle toe. Feet and toes 
strictly those of a perching bird, and the proportionate length 
of the bones of the fore and hind limbs is the same as in 
ordinary arboreal Passeres, especially as represented by the 
Ta nagride, 
* From the Bulletin of the Geological and Geographical Survey of the Terri- 
tories, vol. iv, No. 2, page 443, April, 1578. : coe ee 
The character of the tail is given with reservation, since it is not Lm te cer 
tain that the whole of the tail, or that the exact form of the ne Pe ion, 18 
shown, especially as the preserved impression is somewhat unsymme 
. 
