334 Mr. P. R. Lowe on the Crab-Plover. 



Vomer. — This bone sits astride of the parasphenoidal 

 rostrum, as in Larus or pluvialine Waders. It is continued 

 forwards well beyond the maxillo-palatine processes as a 

 thin spiculate process, apparently slightly truncated at its 

 extremity. 



Otlier Osteological Characters. 

 Vertebral Column. — In Dromas there are 15 cervical ver- 

 tebrae, Avhich may be subdivided into — ccrvicals proper 12, 

 cervico-dorsals 3. 



The three cervico-dorsal vertebne have hypapophyses 

 which are peculiar to them alone. The first two dorsal 

 vertebrae have hypapophyses which are thin, laterally com- 

 pressed triangular plates, with the apex directed downwards 

 and forwards. The apices are bifid. 



The last two cervical vertebrae proper (11th and 12th) 

 have their hypapophyses distinctively shaped. They are 

 thin, laterally compressed, plate-like processes with truncated 

 free ends directed forwards and upwards. The hypapophysis 

 of the 10th cervical vertebra is bifid. The three cervico- 

 dorsals carry floating ribs, the first pair being very short. 

 The last cervical vertebra proper has a costal process, which 

 is fused with the centrum. Hcematopus, it may be noted, 

 also has three cervico-dorsal vertebrae, and, as in Dromas, on 

 each of these three vertebrae the articulation for the capitellar 

 head of the free rib is quite obvious and distinct. 



In Hcematopus the 2nd and 3rd dorsal verfebrse have 

 hypapophyses which ai'e very similar to those seen in Dromas. 

 The hypapophysis of the first dorsal vertebra is like that of 

 the last true cervical in Dromas. 



lu Charadrius pluvialis there are three cervico-dorsal 

 vertebrae, as also obtains in JEgialitis hiaticula. Curiously 

 enough, Squatarola has only two. 



I have also noted that there are only two cervico-dorsal 

 vertebrae in the following Charadriiform genera : — Vanellus, 

 Lobivanellus, Chionis, Chionarchus, (Edicnemus (and perhaps 

 other oedicnemine genera), and Arenaria. 



In the Sheath-bills the 1st and 2nd dorsals have hypapo- 

 physes which are very similar in appearance to those of 



