238 



STRUCTURE AND CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS 



goatsuckers 



have by no means a uniform skull 



The 

 structure. 



In Caprimulgus l the skull may be termed schizognathous. 

 The palatines are enormously expanded, and between their 

 posterior extremities (not indicated in the figure) are a small 

 anterior and posterior medio-palatine, a state of affairs recall- 

 ing the Picidse (q.v.) The vomer is a long bone, distinctly 

 paired in the young bird, rounded in front. It articulates 



FIG. 118. SKULL OF Caprimuhjus (AFTER HUXLEY). 

 I'm.r, premaxilla ; Mxp, maxillo-palatiue ; Vo, vomer ; PI, palatine ; Pf, pterygoid. 



with the hook-like maxillo-palatines. Each of the latter is 

 connected by a ligament with the internal forward process of 

 the palatine of its own side, the hinder part of which is 

 largely ossified. The basipterygoid processes are well de- 

 veloped. The lacrymal is large and ' binds upon the zygoma.' 

 The ectethmoids are attached to the broad outer flange of 

 the palatines by a cartilaginous prolongation. 



1 PARKER, ' On the Structure and Development of the Bird's Skull,' Linn. 

 Tr. (2), i. 



