PROFESSOR NEWTON ON SOME CRANES* BONES FOUND IN NORFOLK. 159 
prepared to find it so great as the figures above show. I cannot, 
however, otherwise account for it, for no question as to a second 
species ought to arise, and the state of the bones forbids our 
deeming it due to age.* The imperfect condition of the radius 
leaves it somewhat uncertain whether it belonged to a bird of the 
larger or the smaller size ; but 1 incline to think it was the former. 
1 may add that my Woodwardian colleague, taking an interest 
in the enquiry in which I was engaged, kindly allowed me to look 
over all the birds’ bones from the Fens in our Geological 
Museum, among which there are some thirty Cranes’ bones or 
more, referable perhaps to half a dozen individuals. The Museum 
of Zoology is not quite so rich, and contains but twenty-seven, 
which seem to be the remains of but two birds. In the course of 
the examination of the bones submitted to me by Professor Hughes, 
another Pelican’s bone, a right tarso-metatarsus, revealed itself 
(Mo. 49). This, from its colour and condition, seems to have 
come from the same deposit as the first humerus (No. 25) that was 
discovered, as formerly mentioned to you by your President 
(Trans. Norfolk and Norwich Nat. Soc. vol. vi. pp. 3G3, 364). 
Comparison with the corresponding bone of Pelecanus crispus 
confirms the opinion I have long entertained as to that having been 
the species which was once a native of our Fen country. 
* The difference is not peculiar to old English Cranes ; but, though 
overlooked or cursorily mentioned by most writers, it is properly dwelt on 
by some of the best continental authorities. Thus Naumann (• Vogel 
Deutsohlands,’ vol. ix. p. 346) gives for the whole length (excluding the bill) of 
the males, 4 (Rhenish) feet, and of the females, 3 feet 6 inches. Nilsson, 
who goes into further detail (‘ Skandinavisk Fauna, Foglarua,’ ed. 3, 
vol. ii. p. 159), puts the tarsus of the ordinary male at 10 (Swedish) inches, 
while he notices exceptions of 9 and even 8 5. Here the difference of the 
extremes it will be seen is 15; but that is much less than the 2T5 shown by 
the Norfolk specimens, and I think the sexual explanation is needed in 
their case. 
