Vol. XXI 1 

 1922 J 



SHUFELDT, Skeleton of Wedije-taUed Ea,/Ie. o05 



Radius presents some curvature along its rather straight shaft, 

 as is shown in Plate v., Fig. 8. Distally, it projects beyond the 

 ulna, and has attached to its inner-antero angle of that extremity 

 an OS prominens of good size. This, which I described many 

 years ago, is probably i)resent at the wrist, or near the ^anie, in 

 all typical Eagles, if not in the Falconidce generally. 



In the Kamchatkan Eagle the radius has a length of 25.2 cms., 

 its shaft being of uniform calibre, and presents the usual amount 

 of curvature along its continuity. 



The skeleton of the hand in Uroaetus audax is very similar 

 to the same part of the skeleton in the Golden Eagle, th? latter, 

 as a rule, being but a trifle longer, bone for bone. Curiously 

 enough, the small distal free phalanx of the Golden Eagle is 

 notably shorter and smaller than the corresponding bone in the 

 manus of the Wedge-tail. 



The long bones of the antibrachium in the wing of the Philip- 

 pine j\Ionkey-eating Eagle have the same lengths as the corre- 

 sponding ones in the forearm of our present subject. 



Thus it will be seen, taking it all in all, that the skeleton of 

 the pectoral limb of Uroaetus audax is most like, in characters 

 and proportions, that of the Golden Eagle, and this resemblance 

 seems to be sustained by other bones of the skeleton. 



THE PELVIC EIMB. 



Apparently all the bones of the limbs in the Wedge-tailed 

 Eagle are pneumatic, and the foramina occur at their usual sites 

 as seen in other diurnal Raptores. 



In the case of the femur, the pneumatic foramen is large, as 

 may be appreciated at a glance by turning to Plate iv., Fig. 9, 

 where the skeleton of the pelvic limb is well shown. 



While the characters of the bones of the pelvic limb are quite 

 in agreement, in so far as the skeletons of the several species at 

 hand at this writing are concerned, there exist curious differ- 

 ences in lengths, and to a slight degree in calibres. This can 

 best be shown in a tabulated form, where the measurements are 

 given in centimeters and fractions, thus : — 



SPECIES 



Uroaetus audax 



Aqu ila ch rysaetos 

 Haliaettis Icucocephalus 

 Thalassoaetus pelagicus 

 Pithecophaga Jeffrey i . . . 

 Thrasaetos harpy ia . . . 



Femur 



11.6 

 13.2 

 12.9 

 13.0 

 13.2 

 13.0 



Tibio 

 tarsus 



16.5 

 17.6 

 16.6 

 17.2 

 20.4 

 18.2 



Tarso 

 meta- 

 tarsus 



10.9 

 10.5 

 9.9 

 9.8 

 12,0 

 ? 



Mid 



anterior 



toe 



8.5 

 8.5 

 9.1 

 10.5 

 95 

 ? 



Remarks 



Rather stout 



Stout 

 Very Stout 



