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University of California Publications in Geology ["Vol. 9 



Edwards 2 in which he figures and compares Meleagris, Pavo, and other 

 phasianids. Also some measurements were made upon the shank of 

 a live male Pavo cristatus. With the material at hand it seemed 

 proper to refer the fossil species to the genus Pavo despite the some- 

 what startling nature of such announcement. 



After the lapse of some time the University had opportunity to 

 make further and much more extended exploration of the asphalt 

 beds, which resulted in the assembling of a representative series of 

 Pavo remains, including most of the characteristic bones and a goodly 

 series of the type segment, the tarsometatarsus. Related Recent 

 species are also more perfectly represented. There are at hand com- 

 plete skeletons of Pavo cristatus in native phase, Meleagris ocellatus, 

 both sexes, and most of the skeleton of Meleagris gallopavo in native 

 phase. 3 An opportunity to examine a large series of skeletons of the 

 Recent Meleagris gallopavo in native phase at Yale University was 

 afforded the writer by Professors Schuchert and Lull of that institu- 

 tion. In the presence of this additional material both Recent and 

 fossil it seems proper to review the entire question of the relationships 

 of the extinct species from Rancho La Brea, described in 1909 as 

 Pavo calif or nicus. 



DETAILED COMPARISON 



Tarsometatarsus. — A splendid series of twenty-five complete tarso- 

 metatarsi now represent Pavo calif ornicus in the collections of the 

 University of California. In considering this series of the type seg- 

 ment, there is noticeable a marked degree of variation in the total 

 length and in the actual elevation of the spur core ; the relative eleva- 

 tion of the spur, however, shows but little variation, remaining between 

 forty and forty-one per cent of the total tarsal length. The age of 

 the individual is judged from the length and the strength of the spur 

 core and from the degree of ossification of the plantar tendons. With 

 these criteria as a basis of age determination, it is seen that the length 

 of tarsus is not directly proportional to age. The longest tarsometa- 

 tarsus has the weakest spur and the strongest spur is found on the 

 shortest adult bone. 



2 Milne-Edwards, A., Oiseaux fossiles de la France, Paris, 1867-77. 



s For the valuable Meleagris material grateful acknowledgment is made to 

 Dr. L. A. Test of Missouri State School of Mines and to the National Museum 

 of Mexico. 



