Vol. ^'^1 SutTFEr.DT, Material for a Study of the Megapodiidcv. 183 



The " infraorbital bar," or zygoma, is also a very delicate little 

 rod, greatly compressed transversely, and distally co-ossified with 

 the nasal and maxillo-palatine. 



Either palatine bone is very narrow, slightly curk'd for its 

 posterior half, and flattened from above, downwards, anteriorly. 

 Posteriorly, each offers a rather large facet for articulation with 

 the pterygoid of its own side — these latter bones not meeting in 

 the middle line by quite a considerable interval. 



A pterygoid is a short bone, much expanded for its anterior half, 

 and compressed from above, downwards. Proximally it is not 

 so large, and is, moreover, transversely compressed, thus giving 

 the bone the appearance of being half twisted upon itself. 

 Mesially, either pterygoid presents a large, subelliptical, articular 

 facet for articulation with a corresponding basipterygoidal facet 

 on the sphenoidal rostrum. 



A quadrate has much the form of that bone among certain 

 C alii nee \ its "orbital process" is well developed, while the 

 articular facet for tlie mandible is elongate transversely, and 

 very narrow antero-posteriorly. The inner facet is small and 

 rounded, and to a degree projecting, while the outer one is trans- 

 versely elongate and fiat. 



Both post-frontal and sphenotic processes are developed, the 

 lowermost one being the longer, ■ and greatly compressed trans- 

 versely. 



An " aural aperture " is large and very open, while its margin 

 is moderately raised all round. This leaves the cranial articula- 

 tion in plain view, as well as the anterior of the middle ear. 



A lacrymal hone is about five millimeters in length, but of 

 extremely minute calibre ; its superior end articulates with the 

 frontal, but the entire length of its mesial aspect is in close contact 

 with the supero-external margin of the nasal of the same side. 



The basi-temporal area is convex and rather extensive, and the 

 " occipital condyle " is small, sessile, and presents a notch on its 

 upper side in the median line. 



Roundly cordate in outline, the foramen magnum is seen to be 

 of good size, occupying fully the middle third of its occipital area. 



Beddard, in his excellent volume on " The Structure and 

 Classification of Birds" (1898, pp. 298, 299), says: — ".As to the 

 Megapodes, there are som§ differences in the skulls of the two 

 genera Talegalla * and Megacephalon. The latter has the well- 

 known hammer-shaped projection of the back part of the skull. 

 In both genera the palatines are slender, and there is some 

 ossification of the nasal septum. The interorbital septum is not 

 much fenestrate, but it is deficient in front. In Talegalla the 

 maxillo-palatines are thin plates, ending in a curved point, very 

 much like those of some Passerines {e.g., Pteroptochui). Each is 



* The skeleton of this bird is described by Parker, " On the Osteology of 

 Gallinaceous Birds and Tinamous," Tr. Z. S., v., p. 160. See also W. K. 

 Parker, " On the Structure and Development of the Skull of the Common 

 Fowl," Phil. Trans., 1870, p. 159. 



