176 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



bular ramus of the intermaxillary. Its superior border is nearly straight for its 

 whole length ; no emargination existing opposite the nostrils, nor hardly any 

 decurvation in its terminal portion. A corneous ridge, incompletely fused with 

 it, separates its true superior border from the inferior border of the culmini- 

 corn — occupying the length of the sulcus from the nostrils to its termination. 

 Its inferior border is sharp and regularly curved in outline for its whole length. 

 Internal to the commissural edge, it extends as an exceedingly delicate, thin 

 lamina to line the roof of the mouth, fusing, anterior to the palatal fissure, 

 with its fellow of the other side ; more posteriorly distinct, and descending to 

 cover the large swollen palatal bones, which latter make a prominent ridge on 

 either side of the roof of the mouth towards its posterior part. The basal 

 outline of the latericorn is that of the lateral frontal feathers, as above 

 described. It terminates in an acute angle anteriorly. 



The '' unguicorn " or dertrotheca is large and strong, in size, shape and 

 g«>neral appearance calling irresistibly to mind the claw of one of the large 

 Felicbi. It is much thicker, heavier and stouter than any other of the corneous 

 elements. The convexity of its dorsal outline is great, being more than the 

 quadrant of a circle. Its commissural edges are thin and sharp, very concave 

 in outline: usuallj- with an obsolete tooth, or, at least, a slight lobe. 



The " narieorn " or rhinotheca is an irregularly convoluted little scroll, very 

 thin, and delicate in texture. Its general shape is that of a turgid cone, 

 whose apex presents backwards, and whose obliquely-truncated, irregularly- 

 shaped base is anterior. This is simply inserted in the emargination of the 

 under edge of the culminicorn, above described. A corneous parietes is want- 

 ing on the side which lies towards the median line of the bill ; and, more 

 anteriorly, there are numerous delicate convolutions, impossible to describe 

 mlelligibly. The general effect of these, however, is to produce a division into 

 two parts of each nasal orifice, by a process which projects upwards and 

 inwards. When the naricorns are in silu, the outer of these divisions, irre- 

 gularly circular in shape, forms the most conspicuous part, and looks forward 

 and a little upwards. The inner is much smaller, and hidden under a project- 

 ing ridge ; and its aspect is quite lateral. 



The " ramicorn " which covers the sides of the rami of the lower mandible is 

 chiefly noticeable for the peculiar outline of its base, which, as already stated, 

 formed the distinguishing feature of the under mandible of this species. It is 

 deeply concave in outline ; the superior cornu of the semihine running as an 

 acute process, far upwards and backwards to the commissural termination. 

 Terminally, the fusion with the inferior unguicorn is very incomplete. Its supe- 

 rior border runs downwards with a long concave sweep from base to tip; 

 having posteriorly an obsolete groove for the reception of a ridge from the 

 upper mandible. Inside the mouth, more anteriorly, the inner face of the 

 ramicorn presents an elongated extensive ridge, whose superior aspect is con- 

 cave, both longitudinally and transversely. This ridge rises higher and 

 higher as it proceeds forward, till at its termination it is on a level with the 

 commissural edge. The ridge in the bone itself is slight in size, compared 

 with that produced by the folding over it of the heavy corneous covering. 



The "inferior unguicorn" or myxotheca is subrectangular in its lateral 

 aspect, the antero-superior angle being rounded off, and its posterior margin a 

 little convex. Its tomial edges are sharp ; and rise considerably above the 

 edges of the bone they cover. 



The "interramicorn" forms the gonal element of the bill. It is narrow, elon- 

 g-ated and subcylindrical in shape; anteriorly completely fused with the myx- 

 otheca; posteriorly extending on the median line a considerable distance into 

 the iuterramal space, running to a fine point, and very gradually merging its 

 corneous texture into that of ordinary dermal tissue. 



The general shape of the bill appears sufficiently elucidated in the preced- 

 ing descriptions of its several elements. The features whereby it is differ- 

 entiated from that of any other species are these : Its great size, (chord of 



[May, 



