36 SnvFRLDT, Skeleton of Kea Parrot (Nestoy notabilis). [,sf''juiy 



There is a large, quadrilateral pygostyle terminating the spinal 

 column of Nestor ; its anterior and superior borders are sharp, 

 while the remaining two are thick and rounded. At the angle 

 of their intersection a special thickish enlargement occurs, which 

 is flat and smooth upon its posterior aspect. Just anterior to 

 this, upon either side, a small foramen is to be seen, the general 

 surface upon this aspect of the bone being smooth and quite flat, 

 apart from the slight elevation extending backwards and upwards 

 from the articulation at the antero-inferior angle. 



The Pelvis. — While not typically Psittacine in its morphology, 

 the pelvis of Nestor does not depart so very widely, in the matter 

 of its form, from that bone as it occurs in Parrots belonging to 

 other genera, as, for example, species of the genus Amazona, as 

 well as some of the larger Macaws. 



Viewing the bone from above, it is to be noted that the anterior 

 border is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the spinal 

 column. At the middle point the projecting neural spine 

 articulates in the usual way with the neural spine of the last dorsal 

 vertebra. A slightly raised emargination finishes off the border, 

 being interrupted mesially by the neural spine of the leading 

 vertebra. 



For their middle thirds, the ilia meet in the middle line, and 

 apparently fuse together. As a matter of fact, these bones 

 completely close over the ilio-neural canals, so that no part of them 

 remains open in the adult — anteriorly, mesially, or posteriorly. 



Either ihum — that is, its preacetabular portion — is much con- 

 caved externally, the surface looking upwards and outwards ; 

 while posteriorly this surface is carried over the top of the 

 acetabulum (figs. 13 and 14). 



In the postacetabular area the neural spines of the vertebrse 

 are completely fused together, forming a raised median ridge for 

 the entire length of this part of the bone. The lateral processes 

 of the vertebrae are fused together, leaving but few inconspicuous 

 foramina among them ; it is only the last two pairs of the latter 

 that are large and elhptical in outhne. Laterally, on either side, 

 the general surface of this postacetabular area is smooth and 

 generally convex. 



On the lateral aspect, the cotyloid ring for the head of the femur 

 is large and circular in outline. Its base is entirely absorbed, 

 while the triangular antitrochanter is rather small for a bird of 

 the size of Nestor, its surface facing almost directly forwards and 

 very slightly downwards. Immediately posterior to it there is 

 a large, elliptical ischiadic foramen, its major axis being parallel 

 to the postpubic style. All the postero-lateral surface of the 

 pelvis is smooth, and withal very much concaved. 



The elliptical obturator foramen merges largely into the 

 " obturator space," the latter running the entire length between 

 the pubic style and the lower border of th^ ischium. 



The posterior moiety of the pubis is somewhat broader and 

 stouter than the anterior, while it curves mesiad toward the 



