130 Scientific Intelligence. 
humerous vertebrae (20) diminishing uniformly, the last being the small- 
est, a structure, in our view, more analogous to the organization of Rep- 
tiles than to that of Birds. The feathers are = upon the bone in 
a manner entirely unique; they are not set as in a fan, but grow on the 
two sides of the tail through its whole length, making an angle with it. 
They thus form, as it were, a flat leaf-like expansion, the extremity of 
which is much rounded, and extends beyond the last of the vertebra. 
The feathers of the wings are larger and form a fan upon each side, 
supported by a short and stout bone, badly preserved, which correspott 
in position to the carpus. It is preceded by a fore-arm composed 0 
single bone (radius), and this by a humerus of equal length ; both a 
robus 
This s spinal column, by its free lumbar and sacral vertebra, recalls 
rather the Reptiles. The left posterior member is complete, the right is 
reduced to the femur and the tibia. The femur is a stout bone, the tibia 
is longer and more slender; no fibula can be distinguished. "The 
has no Reptilian characteristics, but on the contrary approaches some 
forms of Birds’ feet. The tarsus is thick, composed of a single bone, @ 
little shorter than the tibia, and parted at its extremity into three pullies 
to which are oe ulated three toes of Haars se length terminated by 
strong hoo 
Specklty of the It hi has some new and anomalous characters in the 
implantation of ny e haations both those of the tail and those of the 
fore-arm. 
Mr. Wagner appears disposed to consider the sho pe chara 
as Brite fey He relies moreover upon a consider: ich 
the fact that Reptiles are aeaarely § vari abe. 
te by James D. Dana.— Without questiantag the above conelt- 
sion as to the reptilian peculiarities of the feathered fossils, the write 
would here present some other Pra ide i which ad on the pre 
and which he believes may aia te determining the nature of the spec 
special interest. 
. The abnormal characteristics ascertained are not incompatible with 
those of the bird type: They are mainly (1) the peculiarities of the 
mn; a 
of the ala eS extrem ity. Other minor reptilian features will proba 
bly be observed on a further study of the skeleton. y 
ee bey of abnormal forms as the earliest representatives 
a is in strict accordance with the general tenor of geological history: 
All the synthetic types of Agassiz (or comprehensive types, as the Ww" 
has called them) are i hs 
united with some features of true Reptiles, ete. 
