MuiiiE. — On HijbriJlsvi of Foirl und Woodhoi. 347' 



muscles, conforming to the deep-keeled sternum, were ample,, 

 the second pectoral rccachiug quite to the end of tlie sternum,, 

 and a third pectoralis was present. 



Professor Garrod has recorded {I.e.) the occasional absence 

 of a femoro-caudal muscle in certain galline birds, so that its 

 being wanting in our bird hardly merits more than passing 

 remark. 



The skeleton emphasized the preponderance of fowl-attri- 

 butes. The skull, in its breadth to depth, naso-maxillary 

 shortening, general robustness of fronto-eranial section, and 

 contour as a whole, could not be mistaken for that of any of 

 the rail tribe. 



The more salient points, agreeing generally witli that of a 

 Dorking fowl's cranium, used for comparison, are as follows : 

 Broad wedge-shaped naso-maxillary region, with deflected tip ; 

 high ovoid narial vacuity ; broad quadriform frontals over- 

 arching orbits ; a bony interorbital plate ; spoon-shaped upper 

 limb of lachrymal ; palatal surface continuing wide forwards ; 

 liroad maxillo-palatines ; vertical post-palatine plates ; stout 

 Ijasi-pterygoid ; very broad basi-occipital, and ver\- large carotid 

 foramina. As distinctive of breed, and in this respect re- 

 sembling that of the Cochin fowl, I may add a high arched 

 occipital foramen, and a marked depression at the junction of 

 the frontals and naso-maxillas. 



Ocydromus cranially is distinguished by — Narrow length- 

 ened naso-maxillary region ; like-shaped narial vacuity ; 

 frontals also long and narrow, only slightly overarching the 

 orbits ; a large open interorbital space ; attenuate upper limb 

 of lachrymal ; palatal surface remarkably narrowed forwards ; 

 narrow, compressed, oat-shaped maxillo-palatines; horizontal 

 furrowed post-palatine plates ; slender, elongate basi-ptery- 

 goid ; narrow, prominent basi-occipital, and small carotid 

 foramina. 



The broad, arched mandible contrasts with the much 

 longer, narrower, straighter, and deeper lowei" mandible of 

 Ocydromns. 



The sternum of the assumed hybiid is quite double the size 

 of that of Ocydroviits, and it comports with the gallinaceous 

 type. The body is very narrow and spatular, the keel im- 

 mensely deep anteriorly, before which is a broad scooped area, 

 and terminal rostrum ; there are also present a pair of very 

 great lateral notches, and exterior broad bony processes on 

 each side. 



The pectoral arch denotes fowl, the furcular appendage 

 being ample, and shaped somewhat as in the Dorking breed. 



The shallow-keeled, relatively broader-bodied, narrow, 

 single-notched, and extremely weak sternum of Ocijdromus 

 could not be confounded with the preceding ; still less the 



