Apr. 1899. A Fossit Ecc rrom SoutH DakoTa—F ARRINGTON. 199 
‘¢ The following table shows the species of eggs chosen and their 
measurements: ” 


No. Order. Family. Species. Common Name. Meno inches 
| 

be co cs ell Nees Fossil Egg....| 2.03 X 1.49 
Anas fulvigula} Florida Duck.| 2.05 & 1.52 
(Sterna  fuligi- 
3 | Longipennis..| Laridez....... Sooty Tern....| 1.84 X 1.28 
j 
(Tympanuchus |? 
j 
4 | Galline....... Tetraonide... ) ‘americanus. Prawie en ©.) I 7aue boo 
Charadrius do-| American 
cae as a 
5 | Limicole.....| Charadiide... sl at i oe Citden aeons 1.86 X 1.40 
Little Blue) 
6 | Herodiones... Ardeide eres Ardea cerulea EE 173.6 1.40 


her 3 Podilymbus} Pied - billed } 
7 | Pygopodes....| Podicipide... podiceps....| Grebe..... rf 1.71. A elo 
q Phalacrocora- ; Phalacrocorax| Violet Green) 
By) saper anopodes. Cittge. 20s, yr Ds TODUSTOS, .. » Cormorant: | Bah 2 aia ae 


It will be seen that in form and proportional measurements the 
fossil egg resembles most closely that taken as the type of the Anat- 
ide. The probability of its parent belonging to that family is also 
increased when one considers the nature of the formation in which 
the egg was found. This is of lacustrine origin, and birds of this 
family are well known to frequent the waters of lakes. Unfortunately, 
from the manner in which the egg was found, it cannot be stated 
positively that it came from the beds immediately adjacent. These 
are of White River age, but as the specimen was not found 7” 
situ it may of course have come from later and higher beds, or, 
as has been suggested, be even an egg of a comparatively modern 
bird. Yet the probabilities are strongly in favor of the supposition 
that the specimen was, until just before it was found, imbedded in 
the formation immediately adjacent, and was brought to light by 
erosion, just as bores of extinct vertebrates are continually being 
exposed in the same region at the present time, If these suppositions 
are correct, the specimen affords evidence of the existence of birds of 
the order Anatide in Early Miocene times. 
The only other mention of the finding of bird remains in rocks of 
this period, in this country, of which I am aware, is that of two 
species of birds from the Amyzon shales of Nevada. These re- 
mains consist of scattered bones and feathers, and represent birds 
