of a large Pelican in the English Fens. 367 



of the diaphysis is extremely dense and firm, but presenting very 

 little thickness. The articular extremity is tolei'ably expanded, 

 and remarkable for the slight projection of the external ridge to 

 which the great pectoral muscle is attached, and also for the 

 bending back of the surface on which the short portion of the 

 biceps works. In no other bird is this surface nearly so much 

 developed ; for in the present genus it forms a considerable pro- 

 jection which extends beyond the surface of the bone and the 

 inner edge ; below it is terminated by a groove very deep and 

 peculiar to the Pelican. The external ridge, as I have just said, 

 projects but little ; and one might wonder at the fact in a bird 

 which flies so well, if it did not terminate in a large, somewhat 

 oval and rough impression, which offers a very extended surface 

 of insertion for all the lower portion of the principal pronator 

 muscle of the wing. Inside this ridge we see a slight depression, 

 bounded beneath and on the sides by a curved and somewhat 

 projecting line ; and this surface is occupied by the anterior del- 

 toid muscle, which is extremely large. The articular head of 

 the bone is much extended transversely, but only a little elevated. 



The shaft of the bone presents a curve inwardly concave ; it 

 is furrowed beneath and in front of a somewhat oval, and not 

 very deep, depression for the insertion of the anterior brachial 

 muscle. The canal by which the bone is nourished opens upon 

 the inner edge a little above the half of the diaphysis. 



The inferior articular extremity is remarkably thick ; of its 

 two condyles the cubital is most developed, and above it are 

 some pneumatic orifices. The epicondylian projection is thick, 

 rounded, and clearly separated from the radial condyle. Traces 

 only of the olecranian fossa exist ; and, finally, the lip which 

 inwardly bounds the inner groove of the triceps, is extremely 

 bent back and thick. 



The pneumaticity of the humerus and the bulk of the diaphysis, 

 compared with that of its extremities, do not allow of this bone 

 being confounded with its analogue among the Swans or the 

 other lamellirostral Palmipedes. The bending back of the bi- 

 cipital surface and the slight thickness of the bony plate differ- 

 entiate it from that of the other Totipalmes, such as the Gannets, 

 Cormorants, and the like. 



