140 



THE STORY OF THE EARTH. 



constructed on the same plan as in existing 



birds. 



The femur or thigh bone is about two inches 

 long; the drum stick is more than two inches and 

 a had'. And the slender metatarsus is about an 

 inch and a quarter long. The three points of dif- 



FlG. y>. Skull of the oldest-known bird with teeth. Archae- 



opteryi macrura (after w. Dames). ./. orbit i f the eye, A'. 



p ie -o r b i tal vacuity. C. n<>-tril. Sci. circle <»t" bony plates 



run!, k. tongue bones, mm. lower jaw, mandim, 



bones. /. tear-bone, //. nose-bone. (After Dames.) 



ference from existing birds are, the elongated tail 

 bearing feathers on each vertebra, the teeth, and 



the Claws on the three digits Of the hand. 



Close of the Oolitic period. 



m life took place bet ween the 



Kimendge i It he Portland < >olite which 



it. And although the granular Oolitic 



