COKACL'E 207 



externu* is present in Eurystomus, represented by a ligament 

 in Coracias. The deep flexor tendons are of type V., where 

 the two tendons blend before the four branches are given off 

 to the to.es. TSoth peroneals are present. The carotids of the 

 CoraciidcTB are two. In Leptosomus FORBES found that the 

 two arteries run up close together, but are not fused in the 

 hypapophysial canal. He thinks that they may be, like 

 those of Bu-corvns, 1 no longer functional as blood vessels. 



The syrinx of the Coraciidae is quite typically tracheo- 

 bronchial. In C. garrulus the intrinsic muscles are attached 

 to the first bronchial semi-ring. These semi-rings are ossified ; 

 the rest of the bronchial semi-rings are more slender and not 



FIG. 97. SYBINX OF Leptosomus (AFTER FORBES). THE LEFT- 

 HAND FIGURE PROM IN FRONT, THE EIGHT FROM BEHIND. 



ossified. In Eurystomus the only difference is in the fact that 

 the three semi-rings following the first are closely attached to 

 it and to each other, and appear to be ossified ; after these 

 are the broader soft cartilaginous semi-rings. The syrinx of 

 Leptosomus (fig. 97) is rather different ; it appears to be ' 

 an extreme development of the type found in Eurystomus. 

 The first three bronchial semi-rings, like the last tracheal 

 rings, are ossified ; the first of them appears to be nearly, if 

 not quite, a complete ring. The fourth and the succeeding 

 semi-rings are cartilaginous ; to the former are attached the 

 intrinsic muscles. In the commencing formation of a 

 ' bronchial syrinx ' Leptosomus evidently gives a hint of 

 cuckoo affinities, to which group, however, its structure in 

 general does not incline. 



There are fourteen cervical vertebrae in Leptosomus, 



1 Cf. p. 215. 



