2 
The map of southern Vancouver island published by the Geological 
Survey, Canada, 1 indicates Carmanah point to represent Tertiary beds 
which are grouped under the name of “Sooke and Carmanah formations.” 
Concerning fossils from the Sooke formation and the “so-called Carmanah 
formation” at Carmanah point, Charles E. Weaver states: 2 
“The presence of Aturia angustala certainly indicates that the Sooke is older than 
Upper Miocene. 
The faunas occurring in the vicinity of Carmanah point do not appear to differ greatly 
from those at Sooke bay. It ia possible that they may be slightly older. 
The Sooke formation from Bueh evidence as is available is probably the equivalent 
of the upper portion of the Lower Miocene of Washington. The Carmanah beds may be 
in part contemporaneous and in part Middle Ix>wer Miocene.” 
The Sooke and Carmanah formations were, according to Clapp, 
deposited chiefly near a steep mountainous shore, and Arnold 3 in a discussion 
of the marine Oligocene of the Pacific coast of North America in a general- 
ized map shows Oligocene deposits at the spot in question, though there 
is no statement of exposure of such strata at this definite locality and 
the map is too small for local detail. 
The most that may be said at present is that Cyphornis is seemingly 
of Tertiary origin, and that it is probably Miocene, since the cavity of the 
shaft is filled with bluish grey matrix of a character that suggests 
deposits cited by Merriam (page 102) from data supplied by Newcombe. 
The question can perhaps be settled definitely by examination of this 
included matrix when the section exposed at Carmanah point has been 
carefully studied, so that the age of the elements exposed is certainly 
known. 
The type (See Figure 1) is the proximal portion of a left metatarsus, 
and probably represents a little less than one-fourth of that bone. It is well 
fossilized and varies in colour from light to very dark brown. The lower 
end shows a clean, sharp fracture that is not worn, so that the entire speci- 
men may have been available at the time of collecting if search had been 
made for it. Though considerably broken there is sufficient character 
in the specimen to permit appreciation of its original form. 
Wear and breakage in this type have been especially severe on the 
various crests and surfaces of the proximal articular surface. In outline, 
viewed from above the bone represents a truncated triangle, with the base 
in front and the cut-off point behind; the intercondylar tubercle, badly 
worn away, projects well above the general level of the head, and appar- 
ently had a more or less pointed form; the outer glenoid facet has been 
completely broken away; the inner glenoid surface, of which the outer 
margin is missing, was narrow, smoothly convexly rounded, ascending the 
side of the intercondylar tubercle behind and sloping abruptly down in 
front, with the articular surface extending on front of bone below level of 
base of tubercle; in this lower projection it is concave in outline from side 
to side; the posterior portion of the head, behind the facets and tubercle, is 
depressed so that there is a distinct but irregular transverse groove across 
the head of the bone, bounding proximally the portion of the shaft support- 
ing the hypotarsal crests. On the anterior surface is a broad, shallow 
1 Clapp, C. H.: Mem. Sfl (1017). 
* Ibid., p. 339. 
* Ball. Geo!. Soc. Am., vol. 29, pp. 297-308 (1918). 
