BIRDS OF BRITISH UPPER EOCENE

The fossil birds of the British Upper Eocene are re-examined, further species are described and additional material referred to existing species. Seeley''s Macrornis tanaupus appears to be non-avian. Of the 9 spp. listed by Lydekker (1891), the supposed cormorant, Actiornis anglicus, and the supposed flamingo, Elornis anglicus, appear referable to a single species of ibis under the former name; and Ibidopsis is transferred to the rails. The total number of forms now recognized consists of a diver, a cormorant, 2 ibises, a flamingo (based on limb shafts and unnamed), a telmabatid, a duck, a probable cathartid vulture, a hawk, an osprey, a rail and 4 waders. Seven new genera and 7 new species are named [PISCATOR tenuirostris, GIGANTIBIS incognita, HEADONORNIS hantoniensis (Agnopterus? hantoniensis Lydekker 1891), HOWARDIA eous, TENUICRUS magnum, VILLETUS grandis, V. waltoni, PETROPLUVIALIS simplex ]. Colymboides anglicus, Actiornis anglicus, Elornis? sp. Lydekker 1891, ?Aquilavus Lambrecht 1933, Palaeocircus cuvieri, Palaeogrus hordwelliensis, Geranopsis hastingsiae and Ibidopsis hordwelliensis are also described.