SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS OF FOSSIL BIBDS. 829 



it had been found) furnished Prof. Marsh the basis of his Palaotringa veiMs, a smaller species 

 than either of the others of this genus. The known remains are in the Philadelphia Academy. 



44. TELMATOBNIS PBISCUS. 



Telmatornis priscus, Maesh, Proe. Phila. Acad., Jan., 1870, p. 5. — Id., Am. Journ. Sci., 

 xlix, Mar., 1870, p. 210. —A. Milne-Edw., Eech. Ossem. Foss., ii, 1871, p. 541. — Coues, 

 Key, 1872, p. 349. — Maesh, Am. Journ. Sci., v. Mar., 1873, p. 229. — Id., Odont., 1880, p. 

 200. 



A species about as large as the king rail (Ballus elegcms) ; from the middle marl bed of 

 the upper Cretaceous formation. The remains were found near Hornerstown, New Jersey, ami 

 are preserved in the Museum of Yale College. 



45. TELMATORNIS AFFINIS. 



Telmatornis affinis, Marsh, Proc. Phila. Acad., Jan., 1870, p. 5. — Id., Am. Journ. Sci., 

 xlix, Mar., 1870, p. 211. — A. Milne-Edw., Eech. Ossem. Foss. ii, 1871, p. 541. — Cotjbs, 

 Key, 1872, p. 349. — Marsh, Am. Journ. Sci., v. Mar., 1873, p. 229. —Id., Odont., 1880, 

 p. 20] . 



The known remains are in the Yale Museum. 



C — Jurassic Birds. 



The single representative of birds at present known from this formation is odontomithic. 

 46. liAOPTERYX PRISCUS. 



Laopteryx priscus, Marsh, Am. Journ. Sci., xxi, Apr., 1881, p. 341. 

 From the upper Jurassic beds of Wyoming. The known remains are deposited in the 

 Museum of Yale College. 



The interest attaching to this fossil induces me to transcribe the original description : — 



" The type specimen of the present species is the posterior portion of the skuU, which 

 indicates a bird rather larger than a blue heron {Ardea Herodias). The braincase is so 

 broken that its inner surface is disclosed, and in other respects the skuU is distorted, but it 

 shows characteristic features. The bones of the skull are pneumatic. The occipital condyle 

 is sessile, hemispherical iu form, flattened and slightly grooved above. There is no trace of a 

 posterior groove. The foramen magnum is nearly circular, and small in proportion to the con- 

 dyle. Its plane coincides with that of the occiput, which is slightly inclined forward. The 

 bones around the foramen are firmly co-ossifled, but the supra-occipital has separated somewhat 

 from the squamosals and parietals. Other sutures are more or less open. On each side of the 

 condyle, and somewhat below its lower margin, there is a deep, rounded cavity, perforated by 

 a pneumatic foramen. 



"The cavity for the reception of the head of the quadrate is oval in outline, and its longer 

 axis, if continued backward, would touch the outer margin 'of the occipital condyle. This cav- 

 ity indicates that the quadrate had an undivided head. The braincase was comparatively 

 small, but the hemispheres were well developed. They were separated above by a sharp 

 mesial crest of bone. A low ridge divided the hemispheres irom the optic lobes, which were 

 prominent. 



" The foUovidng measuremeuts indicate the size of the specimen : — 



"Width of SkuU across occiput (approximate) 24 mm 



" Transverse diameter of occipital condyle . . 5 " 



" Vertical diameter 4 " 



"Width of foramen magnum 5 " 



"Height 6 " 



" Distance from occipital condyle to top of supra-occipital . 11 " 



