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Show 296 MR. C. W. ANDREWS ON THE [Feb. 18, Fig. 22. Yellowish contour-feather from a species of Cinnyris, the tips of the barbs diverge and are unconnected. . , Fig. 23. Barbules from above feather taken from reg.on marked a. Ob. \ , Fig 24. Modified terminal barbules taken from region marked b, showing "metallic" structure. Ob. |", Oc. B. . Fig 25 Three distal barbules from a metallic qunl-feather of a Humming-bird, g to show notched condition of the lamina in some cases. 25 a shows the true shape of the distal region as contrasted with its apparent one under ordinary conditions. Ob. \", Oc. B. Fig. 26. Barbule from edging of tail-quill of Pheasant non-metallic _ Fig! 27! Dark green metallic barbule from breast-feather of Pheasant. 4. On a Skull of Orycteropus gaudryi, Forsyth Major, Samos. By C. W . A N D R E W S , F.G.S., Assistant in the British Museum (Natural History). [Eeceived February 4, 1896.] The existence of a member of the genus Orycteropus (the Ant- Bear or Aard-Vark) in the Lower Pliocene of Samos was first made known by Dr. C. I. Forsyth Major in the well-known paper in which he described the results of his excavations m that island. In this preliminary note he merely stated that the Pliocene species is about one-fifth* smaller than the recent forms and that the lateral metatarsals are proportionately larger. In a subsequent communication 2 he pointed out some characters in the dentition and in the form of the skull, particularly in the size and shape of the lachrymal which further differentiate the fossil from the living species. In the present note it is proposed to give figures and a brie description of an exceedingly perfect and well-preserved skull of this species from Samos which has recently been acquired tor the National Museum. In this specimen the only important portion missing is the anterior end of the snout, which has been broken oft about 5 centim. in front of the orbit and about 3 centim. from the binder end of the nasals. The right zygomatic arch is lost, but the left is complete, and the tympanic ring, frequently lost in maceration in recent specimens, is preserved on both sides and on the left retains its natural position. The mandibular rami are pressed together so that their lower edges are in contact throughout their length. The size indicates an animal about one-fifth less than the living species, exactly agreeing in this respect with the type of 0. qaudryi, to which species it is referred. It will be seen that, on the whole, the fossil resembles the northern Orycteropus cethiopicus rather more than it does the southern 0. capensis3. . ... . O n the occipital surface the mastoid portion of the penoticisiess prominent than in the recent species, and is more overlapped by 1 Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences, vol. cvii. (1888), p. 1178. 2 Proc. Zool. Soc. 1893, p. 239. TWPWMV 3 For a detailed comparison of the skulls of the recent species, see U u™"™y- " Memoiro sur les Orycteropes," Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zoologie), ser. 3, vol.xix.(lSM). p. 185. |