RALLI 



323 



ectethmoids, as they do in all charadriiform birds. The 

 ectethmoids themselves in all rails that I have examined 

 send a process upwards, which joins the frontal bone and 

 leaves a foramen for the passage of nerves. The interorbital 

 septum is widely fenestrate. 



The pelvis in the rails has a longer preacetabulum than 

 postacetabular portion. The ilia are vertical in their plane 

 anteriorly, and in Triboiujx and Fidica are completely sepa- 



FIG. 158. INTESTINES OF Cun/inui 

 cristata (AFTER MITCHELL). 



.r, short-circuiting vessel. 



FIG. 159. INTESTINES OF Crex pra- 

 te nsis (AFTER MITCHELL). 

 x, as in fig. 158. 



rated from each other by the fused neural spines of the 

 vertebrse. In Aramides and Ocydromus, on the other hand, 

 the ilia reach the summit of those neural spines. In all 

 these rails the pubes are fairly strong bones, which are not 

 ankylosed anywhere with the ischia. 



Nearly all the Ballidae have a biceps slip. Ocydromus 

 Earlei and Rallies macidatus are the only exceptions known 

 to me. The tensor brevis is simpler than in many birds ; 

 in Ocydromus Earlei it consists of only a single tendon. In 

 Crex, as in most others, this tendon gives off a wristward 

 slip. In Aramides and Porplujrio martinicus the hinder 

 branch of the tendon is very feeble, and in the latter does 

 not reach the fore arm. In no rail is there any distal 



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