508 



THE GANNET 



A Gannet's furculum has the appearance of being fused 

 with the sternum, which is a further protection against 



the shock of contact 

 with the sea. But it 

 is not, as a matter of 

 fact, so ossified. In 

 the notes with which 

 he has favoured me, 

 Mr. Py craft better 

 describes the union 

 of the bones, by say- 

 ing that the furcula 

 articulates by a 

 glenoid surface* with 

 the carina sterna. f 



* " Glenoid surface" or 

 cavity. Mr. Py craft ap- 

 plies this term to any 

 articulating surface which 

 is very shallow and faced 

 with cartilage, permitting 

 of movement without 

 friction. 



t In the Frigate-bird, 

 observes Mr. Pycraft, the 

 furculum is completely 

 fused with the coracoid 

 bones on the one hand, 

 and the keel of the sternum 

 on the other. In the 

 Pelican the articulation 

 with the sternum has 

 become locked by fusion. 



THE STERNUM (AFTER DRESSER). 



