No. I.] SPEOTYTO CUNICULARIA HYPOGAA. 119 
while in Syrnium, with another very dissimilar pattern of skull, 
this is shown in a deep groove. 
The eyes of Speotyto present nothing worthy of special note, 
beyond what we know of these organs among the Owls gener- 
ally. We observe, that the optic nerve is of rather small calibre, 
for a strigidine bird, while this species affords an excellent type 
upon which to study the special musculature of the eye, and the 
ever interesting arrangement of the pyramidalis and its tendon. 
This specimen has no vomer, its place being superseded by a 
median sheet of dense fibrous membrane; and I am strongly 
inclined to believe that this bone never ossifies in Speotyto. A 
skull of Syrntum at my hand also lacks this element, while in 
Asio wilsonianus it is very small, and of peculiar construction, 
being sharply pointed in front, hollow, and light, and delicate 
throughout. Falconide usually always have a good-sized vomer, 
but from what has just been said, we must believe that this is 
the exception in the Owls. 
Nothing peculiar seems to characterize the internal ear, which 
I carefully examined ; nor the tongue, nor the upper larynx. 
THE PECTORAL MUSCLES. 
For a bird that so seldom seems to resort to flight of any 
great extent, Speotyto has its pectoral system of muscles very 
well developed. 
The fectoralis major, although not very thick, as the sternal 
keel is inclined to be shallow, makes up in width, and on the 
whole would be considered rather a powerful muscle. It exhib- 
its the usual origin and insertion, completely covering the next 
two to be noticed. 
Of these the pectoralis secundus is also of quite a considerable 
bulk, arising from its most usual site on the anterior aspect of 
the sternal body, and carina, it shows the bipenniform structure 
for which it is notorious, and its tendon passes up through the 
tendinal canal, formed by the bones of the shoulder girdle, to 
be inserted into the humerus after the common fashion as seen 
among birds generally. 
A pectoralis tertius of no mean dimensions, but presenting 
nothing peculiar, is also found in this Owl, and it completely 
covers, in my specimen, the row of sternal articulations of the 
hzmapophyses of either side. 
