^O Shufeldt, Skeleton of Kea Parrot (Nestor notabilis). [ist JuK- 



Passing to the lateral aspect of the cranium, its features are 

 well shown in fig. i of Plate IV. of the present paper. It will at 

 first be observed that the " osseous ring," which completely 

 surrounds the orbit in so many species of Parrots, Macaws, and 

 the rest, is here incomplete posteriorly, while the post-frontal 

 process is very much aborted. 



The " zygoma " is of a very uniform calibre, with its extremities 

 but slightly enlarged. Viewing it laterally, it appears to be 

 straight ; but seen from above it presents a strong sigmoid curve, 

 extending from one end to the other. (Compare figs, i and 3 of 

 the plates.) 



The osseous auricular meatus is completely shielded by the 

 surrounding bones of the cranium. A sphenotic concavity exists 

 in front of it, triangular in outline, with elevated margins above 

 and below — the latter overlapping the facet for the head of the 

 quadrate (fig. i). 



Eminences, depressions, crests, and .ridges, so conspicuous at 

 the sides and back of the cranium in so many other species of 

 birds of diverse groups, are, in this New Zealand Kea, all prac- 

 tically suppressed ; so that, upon the external aspect of all this 

 latero-posterior part of the brain-case, the rounded surface is 

 quite devoid of any conspicuous elevations whatever, which is 

 the reverse of what we meet with in the skulls of the larger Macaw 

 species. 



Posteriorly, Vae foramen magnum is of good size and sub-circular 

 in outline, the rather prominent condyle having a marked con- 

 cavity anterior to its site. 



The basitemporal area is distinctly triangular in outhne, with 

 its general surface concaved, and its lateral margins raised, being 

 withal thin and sharp. These latter are produced out to the ends 

 of the temporal wings of the exoccipitals. Above the foramen 

 magnum, the occipital area is flat, and the occipital crest indicated 

 only by a feeble line on the smooth surface of the bone. This 

 also apphes to either crotaphyte fossa, which latter is well shown 

 in fig. I of Plate IV. 



Within either capacious orbit, the foramen rotundum is circular 

 and thoroughly circumscribed by bone ; the large foraminal 

 opening above it merges with the corresponding one of the other 

 orbit, the two together robbing the anterior wall of the brain-case 

 of a large part of its osseous partition. 



The mesial ethmoidal mass is markedly extensive and spreading, 

 forming a broad base for the frontal roof above. Its anterior 

 edge forms the posterior Hne of the cranio-facial hinge in front 

 of it. Laterally and mesially, the body of the lacrymal, the pars 

 plana, and the mescthmoid are so thoroughly fused together that 

 all sutural lines of demarcation have been entirely obliterated in 

 this adult skull. Mesially, the mesethmoid is raised into a 

 sharpened crest, which is extended posteriorly over the sphenoidal 

 rostrum to the mid-anterior angular projection of the basi- 

 temporal area. 



