166 Prof. Eeinhardt's Remarks on the Genus Balseniceps. 



accordance herewith, the zygomatic arch in Crmcroma is almost 

 twice as long as in Scopus, though the skull of the former is 

 somewhat shorter than that of the latter. In this comparison 

 Balaniceps agrees fully with the Storks. The broad and parti- 

 cularly short brain-pan is precisely one of the most prominent 

 features of its skull ) and it even surpasses in this respect both 

 Scopus and the other forms of the family, with the exception 

 perhaps of Anastomus. Notwithstanding the extraordinary dif- 

 ference in the size of each of these birds, the immensely clumsy 

 and thick zygomatic arch in Balaniceps is hardly longer than in 

 Cancroma, and it is superfluous to explain how much shorter it 

 must be comparatively, and how great a difference in this respect 

 exists between these two genera. Comparatively, also, the 

 zygomatic arch is shorter in Balceniceps than in Scopus, and 

 would be still more so if the extremity of the brain-pan was the 

 only point whereby its length could be determined. But it is 

 also affected partly, though in a small degree, by the position of 

 the tympanic bone ; and as this is nearly perpendicular in Balce- 

 niceps, while in Scopus it is placed obliquely with its lower end 

 (to which the zygomatic arch is attached) in front, the latter does 

 not reach backwards so far in the last as in the first-named bird, 

 and accordingly is somewhat shorter than the length of the brain- 

 pan required. Just as Balceniceps resembles Scoptis, Anastomus, 

 and the other Storks in the shortness of the zygomatic arch, so 

 it also harmonizes with them in its oblique position, and, to be 

 brief, makes therewith a considerable angle with the bill, while 

 in the Herons it is on a level. 



Another difference in the skulls of the Herons and of the 

 Storks seems to be that the partition between the orbits in the 

 former is broken by a large aperture, filled only by a nervous 

 membrane, while no such aperture is found in Storks, and 

 especially not in Scopus, Anastomus [lamelligerus), or Leptoptilus 

 (javanicus and duhius). In this point also Balceniceps follows 

 Scopus and the Storks, whereas Cancroma, as far as the author 

 can infer from the somewhat imperfect cranium of this bird at 

 his disposal, approaches the Herons. 



It has been already stated that in Balceniceps is found a real 

 hinge between the brain-pan and the bill. It is hardly less de- 



