. Annual report. 1st-12th, 1867-1878. Geology. 782' GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. These measurements show us that among the Gathartidw, the Condor of our western country possesses the greatest extent of wing, although the South American one (Sarcorliamphus) has the longest legs; the same condition is also seen to exist between Cathartes aura and Catharista atrata. Also, in comparing G. aura with , we observe that although the measurements of the seg- ments of the pectoral limb are very nearly .alike, the latter bird has a longer tarso- metatarsus in comparison, even where
. Annual report. 1st-12th, 1867-1878. Geology. 782' GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. These measurements show us that among the Gathartidw, the Condor of our western country possesses the greatest extent of wing, although the South American one (Sarcorliamphus) has the longest legs; the same condition is also seen to exist between Cathartes aura and Catharista atrata. Also, in comparing G. aura with , we observe that although the measurements of the seg- ments of the pectoral limb are very nearly .alike, the latter bird has a longer tarso- metatarsus in comparison, even where the femur and tibia are nearly as in the first; here again we find in this Old World Vulture a balance among the segments of this extremity that similates the Fal- conicke. The femur is so bent that a longitudinal line drawn along its anterior surface is convex outwards, the greatest curvature existing at the junction of middle and lower thirds of shaft. A similar line drawn down its inner aspect is found to be concave. The upper surface of the semi-globular head is in the same horizontal plane with the extensive articular facet at the sum- mit of the bone for the antitrochanter of the pelvis, while above this rises the broad and prominent ridge of the great trochanter; below and to the outer side of which we find the pneumatic foramen (C. aura) or foramina (Pseudogryphus), for generally the species show more than one. The femoral head is eminently sessile with the shaft, and presents for examina- tion above an extensive though single excavation for the ligamentum teres. Be- low the characters we have just enumer- ated as pertaining to the proximal ex- tremity of the bone, the shaft rapidly be- comes subcylindrical, to dilate trans- versely at its distal or condylar end in the usual way. Near the middle of the shaft behind we observe the medullary orifice, and the ordinary muscular lines are tol- erably well produced. The rotular channel on the anterior aspect is moderately de
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