83 



AVES. 



The remains of Birds are of rare occurrence in beds of Pliocene 

 age, and of those which have been found only a few are sufficiently 

 perfect to allow of their identification. Nevertheless such remains 

 have been met with throughout the British Pliocene strata, and 

 several forms recognized in the Coralline Crag, Red Crag, Nor- 

 wich Crag, and Forest-bed. 



Genus BUBO, Cuvier. 



Bubo ignavus, foestjeb, 



(=B. MAXiMus, fl:eming.) 



{Eagle Owl.) 



Plate IX., Figs. 4a, b, c. 



The greater part of a very well preserved tarso-metatarsus 



obtained by Mr. A. Savin from the Forest-bed at East Runton 



has been referred to this species (Geol. Mag., Dec. 3., Vol. 



IV., p. 146. 1887). There is much variation in the robustness 



of the tarso-metatarsus in different specimens of the B. ignavus, 



but the Forest-bed specimen comes within the limits of this 



variation, and in other respects agrees with the recent form. 



Bubo ignavus is met with in Europe at the present day in 

 suitable localities, from Lapland to the Mediterranean, and a few 

 examples have been recorded in the North of Scotland and even in 

 England. 



Genus FHALACEOCORAX, Brisson. 

 Phalaceoooeax caebo, linn^us. 

 {Cormorant.) 

 Plate IX., Pig. 6. 



The upper part of a coracoid, presenting the peculiarities fount! 

 in the same bone of the Cormorant, is believed to indicate the 

 occurrence of that species in the Forest-bed, the specimen having 

 been found in that deposit at West Runton by Mr. W. Barker. 

 (Geol. Mag., Dec. 3, Vol. IV., p. 147, 1887.) 



The Cormorant, according to Mr, Howard Saunders (British 

 Birds, p. 349, 1888), is living at the present day as far north as 

 Greenland, to about 70° north lat. ; throughout Europe, and the 

 greater part of Asia ; also in North Africa, and possibly South 

 Africa as well. It is known on the Atlantic side of North 

 America, but apparently not on the Pacific side, A nearly allied, 

 if not identical, species occurs in Australia and New Zealand. 



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