232 



OSTEOLOGY OF ANSERES. 



post-frontal process, while tbe squamosal projection would hardly 

 attract attention in any of them. 



The infraorbital bar is Long, nearly straight, narrow, and much com- 

 pressed from side to side. On its upper edge beneath the lacrymal a 

 little papilli form elevation is usually seen. Its 

 quadrate extremity is slightly tilted upward be- 

 fore it sinks into the pit in that bone. This up- 

 ward deflection is best observed in the Swans, 

 not being well marked in our Broad-bill. The 

 maxillary {Max) extremity of the bar is in all 

 firmly wedged in between the palatine and the 

 dentary process of the premaxilla, being com- 

 pletely fused with these bones in the adult. 



Anatidce as a rule, and Spatula form no excep- 

 tion, possess a large and massive quadrate. This 

 bone has in them a broad and subcompressed 

 body of a quadrilateral form, to the antero-supe- 

 rior angle of which a spine-like orbital process is 

 superadded and rather deflected toward the me- 

 dian plane. The mandibular foot of this element 

 supports two elongated facets, placed side by 

 side with their major axes extended in the trans- 

 verse direction. The inner of these facets is al- 

 ways the smaller. 



At the mastoidal extremity of the quadrate we 

 find a globular head, fairly divided in two by a 

 shallow groove running from before backward. 

 This articular end is well incased by the sur- 

 rounding bone. 



The quadrato jugal and pterygoidal articula- 

 tions require no special mention, they being 

 much as we find them in a number of other 

 water fowl. 



Anatidm have the lateral aspect of the cranium 

 smooth and evenly convex, while lower down a 

 shallow and vertically elongated crotaphyte 

 fossa can generally be pretty well made out. 1 find it least pronounced 

 in llutchin's (loose, while it is quite strong in the Garrot. In all cases 

 it is produced downward upon the highly developed temporal wing, 

 which forms the back part of the bony ear-conch. This latter is con- 

 spicuous in having, in most Ducks, incurling margins to protect it. 

 flu se latter are not so manifest in the Geese, and they are absent en- 

 tirely in Olor. 



In Fig. 1(3 we have an upper view of the skull of Spatula, and this 

 permits us to gain a very good idea of the enormous development of 

 the premaxilla (Pm»). 



Fig. 1G. Skull of tipatula 

 seen from above; 

 mandible removed; life size. 

 Letters us before. 



