SKELETON 857 
Coracoid, in the Ostrich alone of Birds. This przecoracoidal pro- 
cess is of some taxonomic value,! and near its base is either a notch 
or a small foramen for the passage of the nervus supracoracoideus 
which supplies the muscle of the same name, and indicates the 
boundary between Coracoid and Precoracoid. A strong ligament, 
sometimes partly 
ossified, frequently 
extends along the 
inner marginof both 
coracoid and pree- 
coracoid to the 7os- 
trum of the sternum. 
In most birds the 
right and left Cora- | 
coids do not touch | 
each other, but in Pe 
some groups they 
meet, as In certain BuBo IGNAVUS. CoRVUS CORAX. 
Tulinares,  Cathar- (Inner view.) 
tidx, some Falcon- Aed. Acrocoracoid ; Acm. Acromium } Clav. Clavicle ; 
ide, Laride, Opistho- P. Precoracoid process ; Sc. Scapula. 
comus, some Gallinx, Bucerotidex, Upupa and Trogonidx, while in some 
other groups one overlaps the other, the right lying ventrally upon 
the left, as Dromxus, Ichthyornis, Apatornis, certain Tubinares, some 
Steganopodes, Ardeide and Ciconix, Phenicopterus, some Fulconide, 
some Galline, Musophaga, Striges and Meropide. From the distal 
third part of the lateral margin of the Coracoid a long process often 
projects, overlapping the neighbouring part of the anterior margin 
of the sternum, examples of which may be especially seen in 
Tubinares and Pici. 
The Scapula or shoulder-blade is more or less sabre-shaped, 
usually ending in a point, but its extremity being much curved in 
the Pici. It extends backward from the humeral joint over the ribs, 
lying almost parallel to the vertebral column. The median anterior 
knob is the acromion. In the fatitz and Didus the Scapular and 
Coracoid are fused, which might be regarded as correlative with 
the loss of flight, were it not that the same fusion is observable in 
CYGNUS OLOR. 
Aci. 
1 It approaches the Acrocoracoidal process in Cnemiornis, Falco, Asio, Merops, 
Trrisor and Cuculus ; fusing with it and forming a complete osseous bridge across 
the supracoracoid sulcus, in Musophaga, Corythaix, Merops, Upupa, Buceros and 
Alcedo ; while in Didus and Opisthocomus it fuses with the Clavicle, of which in 
Hesperornis it is the sole support. In Dromexus and Caswarius it is small and 
bears the clavicular remnant. It varies much in size and, as above stated, is 
complete in Struthio only. It is large, though without meeting the Clavicle, in 
Ichthyornis, Sula, Grus, Trichoglossus and others ; but very small or absent in 
Apteryx, Tinamus, Steganopodes, Galline and Passeres. 
