268 Dr. J. Murie on the Genus Colius. 



to tlie sixth are sternally attached. Recurrent processes obtain 

 from the second costa to the sixth. 



2. VertebrcE and Rump-bones. — The neck-vertebrse ai*e eleven 

 or twelve, according as we accept the last one (with a very short 

 riblet) as belonging to this series or not. In the back or dorsal 

 region (that is, as far as the pelvic bones) there are eight verte- 

 brae. The spinal portion of the pelvis appears to be composed 

 of ten or eleven closely united vertebral elements. These seg- 

 ments are indistinct, and appreciable only by the markings of 

 transverse processes, visible from above. Of free tail-vertebrse 

 seven obtain. The final one of all, or, as it has been termed, 

 " pygostyle,'' possibly consists of a couple or more pieces, 

 but so consolidated together that they may, for all practical 

 purposes, be recognized as but one. 



Put in formula, therefore, the numbers would run : — 



11 or 12 Ce; 8 D ; 10 or 11 Ls; 7 Cd =36 or 38. 



The rump-bone, or pelvis*, has been taken into considera- 

 tion but by few ornithologists; and yet it is not devoid of 

 characters. 



The iliac bones chiefly occupy the dorsal region. The rear 

 halves of these in Colius are together wide and quadriform, with 

 a smooth moderately convex surface. The fore halves narrow 

 considerably, are concave, and set obliquely towards the spine. 

 The latter is defined from the ilia quite in front ; but coalesces 

 with them posteriorly. A line drawn through the foramina of the 

 hip-joints (acetabula) gives an area in front, " prseacetabular,'' 

 that behind being termed the " postacetabular.^^ In Colius, the 

 former is narrower than it is long ; the reverse obtains in the 

 latter. The interior, or renal surface is flat, shallow, and corre- 

 sponds in outline to that described above. 



The ischium forms a lateral flank, posterior to the acetabulum ; 

 and, whilst long and produced into a tapering process behind 

 the " tuberosity," is nowhere very deep. Below it is the " pubis," 



* Eyton (' Osteologia Avium ') duly notes its importance. Huxley, 

 "On the Classification and Distribution of the AlectoromorphiB and 

 HeteromorphfB," P. Z. S. 1868, p. 298, seizes its taxonomic points. Alph. 

 Milne-Edwards appreciates diversity of conformation in his great work 

 ' Oiseaiix Fossiles.' 



