OCR Text |
Show 1893.] ON BIRD-BONES FROM THE MIOCENE OF ISERE. 517 nizable by their great length, their thinness, and the small size the pedicel. I am told that these peculiar horns are well known as articles of trade at Zanzibar, where they are brought by the caravans from the interior. I do not propose to found a new species on them, because it is possible that they may be abnormal horns of the female Black Rhinoceros, which we know is found all through Eastern Africa up to the White Nile and plains of Upper Nubia1. But it is highly probable that they belong to a different animal, of which we may hope some day to receive perfect specimens. In the meantime they may be provisionally named Holmwood's Rhinoceros, Rhinoceros bicornis holmwoodi. 3. On some Bird-bones from the Miocene of Grive-St.- Alban, Department of Isere, France. By R. LYDEKKER. [Received May 17, 1893.] (Plate XLL) For the second time I am indebted to my friend Dr. C. J. Porsyth Major for the opportunity of adding something to our knowledge of the fossil birds of Europe-the small collection which he has on this occasion confided to m y care having been obtained from the Miocene beds of Grive-St.-Alban, in the Isere. Those beds belong to the middle division of the Miocene period, and probably correspond approximately in age to those of Sansan . in the Gers. So far as I am aware, the only bird-remains hitherto recorded from the Grive-St.-Alban deposits are a few described by Dr. C. Deperet2. These remains, which are but few in number, were regarded as indicating the existence of an undetermined Accipitrine of the size of the Common Buzzard; of a peculiar species of Woodpecker (Picus gaudryi); of a Pheasant, identified with a species (Phasianus altus) described by M . A. Milne- Edwards from the Sansan deposits ; of a smaller representative of the same genus; of a Gallinaceous bird referred to the Lower Miocene genus Palceortyx, under the name of P. edivardsi ; of a Crane, provisionally identified with Grus pentelici of the Pikermi beds; and of an undetermined Anserine. The collection of specimens obtained by Dr. Forsyth Major is far more numerous, and contains several bones in a perfect state. Others, however, are very fragmentary and difficult of identification ; and I have accordingly thought it well to refer in most cases only to such specimens as I have been able to identify with a fair amount of certainty. As I have had occasion to mention previously, our collections of Avian osteology are at present in such an unsatisfactory condition that the determination of complete (not to say 1 See Baker, ' Nile-Tributaries,' p. 246 (1872). 2 Arch. Mus. Lyon, vol. iv. pp. 282-288 (1887). PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1893, No. XXXV. 35 |