CROWS AND ALLIED SPECIES. 489 



cranium proportionally large, the neck of moderate length, the 

 thorax short and deep. The skull is hroad and convex above 

 and behind, with the septum between the orbits incomplete ; 

 the maxillary bones moderately elongated and compact ; the 

 nasal vacuity large and elliptical ; and the crura of the lower 

 jaw with an oblong vacuity near the condyle. The cervical 

 vertebras are generally nine ; the dorsal nine, of which the two 

 anterior have no ribs ; the united lumbar and sacral ten ; 

 the coccygeal seven. There are seven very slender depressed 

 ribs, the first incomplete, and, as well as the last, without the 

 posterior processes. The scapula is ensiform. The furcula slen- 

 der, hyoid, rather narrow, with the curve rounded. The ster- 

 num short, as in hawks, with an equally prominent ridge, the 

 posterior part with a deep sinus on each side. Humerus of 

 moderate length ; cubital bones a fourth longer ; the rest of 

 the same length as the cubitus, consisting of two carpal bones, 

 one large metacarpal having an oblong incomplete space towards 

 its inner edge, a thin pollical, and three digital, of which latter 

 there are two to the first phalanx. The femur is short, the 

 tibia twice as long, with a slender incomplete fibula, extending 

 only one-third down. The tarsal bone is three-sided, and a 

 little longer than the femur. The toes are four ; the hind toe 

 composed of a distinct metatarsal bone and two phalanges ; 

 the second of three, the third of four, the fourth of five pha- 

 langes ; the extreme phalanges rather long, conical, slightly 

 arched, laterally grooved. 



Their muscular system is moderately developed. The pec- 

 toral muscles are large, as are those of the legs. The skin is 

 tough, with little subcutaneous fat. 



The digestive organs are of a kind adapted for seeds, grain, 

 and fruits, as well as flesh. The bill, a strong, pointed forceps, 

 is capable of separating the muscles from the bones of animals, 

 of tearing up their skin, of penetrating the ground to extract 

 worms, or of laying hold of and breaking vegetable substances 

 of various kinds. Although the oesophagus has no median dila- 

 tation or crop, it is yet rather wide, and capable of holding a 

 considerable quantity of food. The stomach being a true giz- 

 zard, although not so powerful as in the Gallina?, Perdicinae, 



