^°'" i^il^^^'l Shufeldt, Skeleton of Kea Parrot (Nestor notabilis). 3^ 



as at its anterior end, where an enlargement exists bearing an 

 articular surface distally, with a minute underlapping lip for 

 articulation with the united entoglossum. Posteriorly it is 

 produced mesiad as the iirohyal — a very slender rodlet about 

 five millimeters in length. 



At the middle of the basihyal, dorsad, there is to be observed a 

 scroll-like, osseous parahyal process, which practically agrees with 

 what we find in the skeleton of the tongue in some of the Lories, 

 as, for example, Lorins flavopalliatiis, as figured by Mivart and 

 republished by Beddard {loc. cit., p. 266). The parahyal process 

 upon either side is produced forwards on the dorsal aspect of the 

 basihyal as an elevated, thin, osseous plate, to meet the fellow 

 of the opposite side anteriorly, and co-ossify with it. At this 

 point it is a thin, sharp, bony platelet, directed to the front, 

 standing well above the basihyal and not in contact with it. 



The hypobranchials are long and slender, while the cerato- 

 branchials — still more slender and more lengthy than in the 

 Psittaci generally — do not seem to be terminated posteriorly in 

 cartilaginous tips or free ends. 



In regard to the osseous hyoid arches, Beddard remarks that 

 " the only bird which seems to present much resemblance to the 

 Parrots is the Eagle, which, according to the figure in Bronn's 

 ' Thierreich,'* has a broad basihyal with the short angular 

 processes which suggest the more elaborate parahyals of the 

 Parrots. "t 



Probably, were a more extensive comparison made than there 

 has heretofore been of the hyoids of the Psittaci with those of 

 the Raptores, not a few resemblances would be brought to light, 

 in so far as these two groups of birds are concerned. 



With respect to the trachea, only a very small part of it was 

 preserved by the osteologist that prepared this skeleton. It 

 consists of the upper three tracheal rings, which are completely 

 ossified, and the larynx (fig. 11, Plate VI.), all the dorsal portions 

 and structures of which are in membraneous cartilage, while the 

 solid " thyroid plate " is in bone. To gain much information, 

 however, about the upper part of the trachea in any bird, the 

 anatomy of it should be studied with the aid of good alcoholic 

 specimens, or upon birds recently killed. There is large room 

 for extensive work in such directions, and it is very humiliating 

 to think how little we really know of the subject. 



The Vertebral Column (figs. 8 and 9, Plate VI. ; fig. 13, Plate VII. ; 

 fig. 14, Plate VIII. ; and fig. 15, Plate IX.) — Ah the prepelvic 

 vertebrae in the spine of Nestor are inclined to be strong and 

 massive ; they interlock closely by thick and strong processes. 

 The pelvic and coccygeal vertebrae take on pretty much the same 

 character, all of which may be appreciated through a study of 

 the figures on the plates. 



* Aves, plate xxxi., fig. 23. 

 t Loc. cit,, pp. 266, 267. 



