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A Pliocene Record of a Parapave from Texas

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A most interesting Upper Pliocene vertebrate fauna has lately been assembled from Cita Canyon, in Randall County, Texas, by a party from the West Texas State Teachers College.

Among the specimens thus far removed there appear two tarsometatarsi of the California Turkey, Parapavo californicus (L. Miller). Both bones are from the right side and one of them is almost without blemish except for the loss of the spur core. The second bone is fragmental but has the spur core almost complete. Comparison was made with typical specimens from the Ranch0 La Brea asphalt with the result that no hesitation is felt in specific assignment of the Texas specimens-size, proportions, elevation of the spur core, relative positions of the trochleae, the small intertrochlear foramen on the inner side, the shape of the proximal cotylae and hypotarsus, the incipient hypotaraal third ridge-all are characters that check perfectly with the specimens from the type locality.

The fairly abundant mammal fauna is being studied by the junior author, but the presence of rertain carnivores (Borophagus) is considered by R. A. Stirton of the California Museum of Paleontology as definitely indicating its Upper Pliocene age. The specimens were beautifully preserved in fine river sand laid down in a practically continuous series reaching up possibly into true Pleistocene. The interest to ornithology lies in the extension of range of Parapavo both in space and in time. The species probably originated in Pliocene and increased to maximum numbers in Pleistocene before its extinction fairly late in the latter epoch.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge the courtesy of Mr. Stirton for diagnosis of the age of tbe stratum.

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