Specimens of Archaeopteryx length. These hindlimb proportions agree roughly with those of the London specimen. The claw arc of the central pedal digit is about 120 degrees, which is close to the average for all "Archaeopteryx" specimens. This arc is also close to the average for that in perching birds and is well above the mean for ground-dwelling birds, despite conclusions against perching habits based on the short hallux and weak flexor tubercles. The remarkably preserved plumage is one of many features that sets the Berlin specimen head-and-coracoids above all other "Archaeopteryx" fossils to date. Clear feather impressions are visible on both wings,
Specimens of Archaeopteryx 1998, Vieser 1988). The Eichstätt specimen of "Archaeopteryx" is represented by an almost-complete skeleton visible on both slab and counter-slab, though the majority of the skeleton is on the main (overlying) slab. The animal is preserved lying on its right side, as in the Berlin specimen. The specimen is in almost complete articulation with many items in their original positions. The vertebral column, which had become strongly recurved in death, enabled the animal's head to lie above the pelvis in near-perfect preservation. This excellently-preserved skull is one of the most notable features of this specimen. The majority of the Eichstätt