Vol. 6] Miller: Avifauna of Pleistocene Cave Deposits. 



:;s'i 



those of proportion and are best noted by a comparison of the dimensions 

 recorded in the table below. 



It is interesting here to note that the two extinct vultures from the 

 cave region display a greater breadth of shank and foot than do their 

 nearest relatives from the asphalt or from the Recent North American 

 fauna, and although large series of specimens have been employed for 

 comparison in each case, there is no intergradation in this character. In 

 the case of the genus Catliarista, the asphalt form is differentiated from 

 the Recent C. urubu in the same respect, thus the three species, shastensis, 

 occidentalis and urubu, form a series successively less robust of tarso- 

 metatarsus. 



The material assembled indicates at least eight and possibly 

 fifteen individuals of the species. With the exception of some 

 of the Gallinae, no other form is so abundantly represented in 

 the cave collections. Thus the occurrence is such as to indicate 

 the comparative abundance of the species in the Shasta region 

 during the period of deposition of the cave deposits. 



Like the last named species, Catliarista is less abundant in the 

 Samwel Cave than in the Potter Creek Cave. There are but 

 three specimens referable to the genus in the Samwel Cave, 

 and their specific identity is not absolutely certain. In so far 

 as they are known they correspond with the specimens of similar 

 parts of true C. shastensis from Potter Creek Cave. Two frag- 

 mentary specimens from Hawver Cave are likewise ascribed with 

 some reserve to this species. 



Table of Measurements of Catliarista shastensis and C. occidentalis 



Tarsometatarsals— °- Occident- C. sham 



alts ensis 



Total length 83.5 mm. 83.0 



Greatest transverse diameter through head 16.0 17.4 



Least transverse diameter of shaft 7.2 8.7 



Greatest transverse diameter through troehleae 17.0 17.9 



Greatest sagittal diameter through head 11.8 13.3 



Sagittal diameter of shaft at middle point 5.9 6.9 



Sagittal diameter of middle trochlea 10.8 10.6 



Transverse diameter of middle trochlea 7.3 7.3 



Humerus — 



Length from distal tubercle of pectoral crest to 



depression for brachialis anticus 56.4 59.5 



Anteroposterior diameter of shaft at middle 11.6 12.4 



Dorsiventral diameter of shaft at middle 9.7 9.8 



