54 



Annai.s of the Carnegip: Museum. 



The clavicles are broader and larger at their superior or coracoidal 

 extremities, being compressed from side to side. Above, the broad 

 surface looks outwards ; but it is gradually changed in direction as we 

 descend to the hypocleidium, so that below it looks forwards (Fig. 

 i8). The hypocleidium is of a quadrate form, rather small, and has 

 an extension of its ])OSterior l)order carried up behind on the line of 

 the median clavicular union. 



In jV. borealis (No. 12,595, Smith.sonian Collection) the os fiircula 

 possesses all the characters I have described for the Long-billed Cur- 

 lew. As already intimated, however, the arch of the U is not as open, 

 the clavicular heads are not so pointed, and the hypocleidium is nearly 

 round in form, not being so perceptibly carried up on the clavicles at 

 their point of meeting below. Among the Plovers we found that it 

 had the same general characteristics, and it holds the .same relative 

 position when articulated to the other bones of the shoulder-girdle. 



Fli;. ig. Direct anterior aspect of the left coracoid and scapula of A'ltDuiiiits 

 /oiigirostris : natural size, s, scapula ; r, coracoid. 



For the size of the bird, the furcula is large in Gti//i//ago, as it is in 

 the Woodcock, but the general pattern remains the same as for the 

 Curlews. Indeed it varies but little in form for the Limicolce generally. 

 In the Sandpipers, as a rule, the hypocleidium is more posteriorly 

 situated, and in Actitis this process almost comes in contact with the 

 anterior edge of the keel of the sternum, when the bones are /// situ. 



In some genera the hypocleidium is very small, as in Liniosa ; in 

 others, as in the European Woodcock {S. nisticola'), the bone is large 

 but its limbs are slender. The hypocleidium is also small and a dis- 

 tinct jutting facet is thrown out on the external aspects of the free 

 clavicular ends above, for articulation with the fore part of the head of 

 either coracoid. This is a Plover-character, and more remotely indi- 



