380 NOTES ON birds' STERNA AND SKULLS. 



wliicli poiuts fail to quite meet iu this specimen tbe scapulae bebiud 

 them. Below we iiiul the hypocleidial eulargemeut to be cariuated 

 posteriorly, while it is extensively scooped out in front. As already 

 stated, this part of the bone rests, when the girdle is naturally articu- 

 lated, upon the upper side of the projection found at the antero-inferior 

 angle of the sternal keel. 



The sliiU, sternum, and shoulder girdle of Pelecano'ides (sp. !). — When 

 Dr. Streets collected this interesting specimen he was uncertain of 

 the species and took the pains to write out a description of its external 

 characters and coloration before takin;.^ its sladl, &c. Mr. Ridgway, 

 who kindly undertook to diagnose the bird from this, could not be quite 

 positive as to the species, although he seemed to think that there was; 

 no doubt whatever as to its being a Pelecano'ides. I also forwarded the 

 original description of Dr. Streets to my friend Mr. J, A. Allen, who at 

 the present writing still has it in his possession, and I have not heard 

 from him on the subject ; in a previous letter ho very kindly reminded 

 me of the several si)ecies of this genus that were to be found in the 

 South Pacific. IMy own isolated position from all the literature of such 

 subjects prevents me from investigating the point personally, though I 

 doubt very much that I could have done more than Mr. Allen and Mr. 

 Kidgway have already so kindly attempted in the case. • 



Comparing the front and side views of tlie sternum of the specimem 

 with the drawing of the same views and bone made by Forbes (ColL 

 Sci. Mem., PI. XXIiI, figs. 3 and 4) of the sternum of Pelecano'ides uri- 

 natrix, I find them to agree in all particulars, and it is just possible^ 

 that our specimen came from an individual of that species.t 



In quite a number of its characters the skull resembles the skull of 

 Vaption, though it is but little more than half the size. The external 

 osseous nares are somewhat differently shaped, and are not well de- 

 fined, elongated and longitudinal elliptical openings as they are in 

 Daption, but have their anterior margins indefinitely defined, from the 

 fact that the bone on either side of the line of the culmeu is here de- 

 pressed nearly as far forwards as the tip of the beak. This lends to 

 the premaxilla a crest-like appearance along iu this region, and gives it 

 A prominence not possessed by either Daption or Fulmar us. The supra- 

 orbital glandular depressions are separated in the median line by a very 



t Since writing the above I have had a letter from Mr. AUeu, in which he says. 

 that he believes the specimen to have been a P. urUiatrix. 



The following is Dr. Streets' original description of the bird: " Total length, 8 

 inches. Head and bill, 50™°'. Bill along culmen, 15'"™. Tibia, naked, S"'™. Tarsus 

 and middle toe, including claw, 54™'". Middle toe and claw, 32""". Tarsus, S-i-"™. 

 iVings, 0.50 inches. Spread of wings, 15.25 inches. Tail, 2 inches. 



" Bill black, except a narrow rim along the lower edge of lower mandible, which is 

 bluish ; naked part of tibia, tarsus, and feet light blue (lavender). Claws black. 

 (Jnder parts of body white. Mantle black, with a bronze luster in the light. Under 

 surface of web of feet black, and a black spot on the tarsus behind, near its articula- 

 tion with tibia. Tail nearly sciuare, slightly rounded. Wings not folded beyond 

 tail; second primary scarcely longer than the first, which is longer than the third." 



