45. 
46. 
‘ 
SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS QF FOSSIL BIRDS. 829 
it had been found) furnished Prof. Marsh the basis of his Paleotringa vetus, a smaller species 
than either of the others of this genus. The known remains are in the Philadelphia Academy. 
TELMATORNIS PRISCUS. 
Telmatornis priscus, MARSH, Proc. Phila. Acad., Jan., 1870, p. 5. — Ip., Am. Journ. Sci., 
xlix, Mar., 1870, p. 21U.—A. Minne-Epw., Rech. Ossem. Foss., ii, 1871, p. 541. — Cougs, 
Key, 1872, p. 849. — Marsu, Am. Journ. Sci., v, Mar., 1873, p. 229.— Ip., Odont., 1880, p. 
200. 
A species about as large as the king rail (Rallus elegans) ; from the middle marl bed of 
the upper Cretaceous formation. The remains were found near Hornerstown, New Jersey, and 
are preserved in the Museum of Yale College. 
TELMATORNIS AFFINIS. 
Telmatornis affinis, Marsu, Proc. Phila. Acad., Jan., 1870, p. 5.—Ip., Am. Journ. Sci., 
xlix, Mar., 1870, p. 211.— A. Mitnr-Epw., Rech. Ossem. Foss. ii, 1871, p. 541. — Cougs, 
Key, 1872, p. 349. —Marsu, Am. Journ. Sci., v, Mar., 1873, p. 229. —Ip., 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 odontornithic. 
LAOPTERYX PRISCUS. 
Laopteryx priscus, MArsu, 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 skull, 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 skull is distorted, but it 
shows characteristic features. The bones of the skull are pneumatic. The occipital condyle 
is sessile, hemispherical in 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-ossified, 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 from the optic lobes, which were 
prominent. 
“The following measureinents indicate the size of the specimen : — 
‘* Width of skull across occiput (approximate)... 2. 1. 1. 1 ee ewe tt he 24 mm 
“Transverse diameter of occipital condyle . . 2.) 1 1 we we et wt ee ee 5 
“Vertical diameter . oo Se i ee owe a Ae ee 4. 68 
‘“Width of foramen magnum ......... «+ «© © we peep se ee eee 5 s8 
“Height . . . Gy eae ae ar eae ae Ra a a Gee SR ade a Gee ae Gee jae vs 6“ 
a % Z 
* Distance from occipital condyle to top of supra-occipital . . . 1... 1. eee eee 11 “ 
