36 ]\rr. F. E. Beddard on the 



structure in which it dittcrs from its allies. These features, 

 on the whole, produce a further likeness between the skull of 

 Aramus and that of the aberrant Crane Balearica. Thus the 

 pterygoids, though expanded as in Grus at their articulation 

 wnth the palatines in front, have no traces that I can discover 

 of basipterygoid facets. In Grus these basipterygoid facets 

 are not properly developed ; but, as in many other birds 

 which possess rudiments of them, they are represented by a 

 small process of bone of irregular form, and are not expanded 

 into an articular surface for the reception of the pterygoid 

 bones. In this peculiarity of the skull the genus Balearica 

 agrees with Aramus ; while in neither are there traces of 

 the basipterygoid facets. One would assume therefore 

 that the two genera which have just been mentioned are 

 so far more specialized than the more typical Cranes. The 

 shape of t!ie maxillo-palatinc plates is not tlie same in 

 Aramus and in Gras : in Aramus these plates are of the 

 nature of swollen bulli3e, and very thin-walled ; in Grus each 

 plate is a thin, shell-like, concave structui-e, the concavity 

 being outwards; they are, moreover, much larger in Grus than 

 in Aramus. It is perhajjs important to note that Balearica, 

 again, on the whole, agrees with Aramus. 



The remaining feature of diflerence between Aramus and 

 Gi'us, which is noticeable on the ventral aspect of the skull, 

 concerns the palatines : in Grus the ridge upon the ventral 

 surface of these bones is deep, and is continued quite to 

 the end of them, to where they articulate behind with the 

 pterygoids ; in Aramus the ridge is, of course, present, but 

 it stops considerably short of the pterygoid end of the pala- 

 tines. In this feature it happens that Aramus docs not 

 approach Balearica. The last-mentioned genus has these 

 bones formed as in Grus. 



When the skull of Aramus is viewed laterally, the nostrils 

 are seen to be not so clearly cut anteriorly as are those of 

 Grus, which end in a definite rounded margin. In Aramus 

 a kind of curtain of bone descends from above which over- 

 shadows and partly obliterates the anterior part of the orifice 

 of the nostril, thus detracting from the definiteness of its 



