( 12V ) 



The Pelvic Girdle. 



Tliu innominate bones are incomplete, lacking the pubes, and ])ortions of the 

 free ends of the ischium. Markedly smaller than in the Raven, but larger than in 

 most other Corvidae, it seems to differ from the Raven chiefly in having the free 

 edge of the pre-acetabular ilium more decidedly arched, and the anterior extremity 

 thereof of a more regular oval contour. The cavity of the pelvis affords rather 

 more tangible differences, but nothing of any importance. One would have sup- 

 posed that the synsacral vertebrae of Palaeocora.c would have retained rather more 

 primitive characters than are to be met with among existing Corvidae ; but such is 

 not the case. 



There are eleven synsacrals, as in the Raven, and the Corvidae in general. Of 

 these are one thoracic, three lumbar, two lumbo-sacral, two sacral, and three caudal. 

 The Inmbo-sacral vertebrae have lost their parapophyseal processes, though these 

 have been retained by the first lumbo-sacral in the Raven. The sacral are scarcely 

 distinguishable from the caudal vertebrae. The fovea Inmbalis is smaller than 

 in the Raven by reason of the narrower and relatively slightly shorter pre- 

 acetabular ilia. 



The PEcroitAL Limb. 



The humerus is hardly distinguishable from that of the Raven except in its 

 markedly smaller size. The principal distinguishing feature lies in the fact that 

 in the fossil the pneumatic foramen which opens into the fossa SKbtroclianterica is 

 larger, relatively, than in the Raven, while the rim of this foramen is, mesiad, 

 more sharply defined and forms a <-shaped angle, wherein it resembles Cortus 

 aiiicricana. In C. loiii/irostris and in ('. jriigih'(pis, it ma}' be remarked, this 

 foramen is obsolete. Finally, the width across the proximal end, from the crista 

 superior to the crista inforior, is relatively less in the fossil than in the Raven. 



The forearm, in relation to the humerus, is much shorter in Falaeocorax than 

 in the Raven, and in this respect it resembles Coretis americana. 



While the ulna of L'alacocoraj: agrees, even in matters of small detail, with 

 that of the Raven, this is by no means true of the radius. Thus, in the Raven, 

 immediately veutrad of the cotylus for the radial condyle of the humerus, there 

 will be found an elongated laterally-compressed boss, having its free edge deeply 

 indented to form an oval cup for the origin of the extensor indicis lougus. In 

 I'alaeocorux this boss of bone is so deejjly cut away distad, that the cup just 

 described appears to have been hollowed out of a strongly developed hook- 

 shaped process. The distal extremity of the bone has the articular surface for 

 the radial relatively much smaller than in the Raven ; while the radial shaft 

 differs in the much more extensive development of the ridges for the extensor 

 indicis lonyiis. 



Of the manus only the carpals, carpo-metacarpus, and the pollex have been 

 preserved, and these afford no characters, apart from the smaller size, whereby 

 they may be distinguished from the same elements in the Raven. But both the 

 manus of this fossil and of the Raven agree, and differ from that of the smaller 

 Corvidae in having a deep pit at the base of Mc. Ill for the insertion of the 

 ligament attached to the inferior limb of the ulnar. 



T\u' femur in I'ahieocorax is as long as in the Raven, and therefore is a 

 relatively much longer bone than in that bird. It may be distinguished from 

 that of the Haven not only on account of its greater slenderness, but also by 



