OSTEOLOGY OF SCOPUS UMBRETTA AND BAL.ENICEPS REX. 409 



thoroughly ^lon-jjneutnatic. Turning to the pelvis we are to note 

 that although the anterior borders of the ilia both in Scopus and 

 AiYlea are perpendicular to the mid-axial line of the spinal 

 column, being obliquely truncated in the Stork, it is never- 

 theless true that in its general form the shortish and somewhat 

 broad pelvis of Scopus, with its ilio-ischiatic notch present, and 

 with its numerous foramina in the post-acetabular region, is 

 purely ciconine, and has but little to do with Ardea, in which 

 genus the character of the presence of the ilio-ischiatic notch is 

 never seen. The number of vertebrae co- ossified with the 

 pelvic bones in the pelvis of Scoptus is equal to what we find in 

 Ciconia, and the number is greater than what occurs in the 

 pelvis of Ardea. In both Scojms and Ciconia the leading caudal 

 vertebra co-ossifies with the last uro-sacral, which is not the 

 case in the Heron. 



In Scopus, says Parker, the " scapula, as in the Storks, is 

 stouter and broader than in the Herons, so also is the coracoid ; 

 there is a distinct epicoracoid hook, and, especially in the 

 Balccniceps, a well-developed meso-coracoidal curled plate (see 

 Trans. Zol. Soc, 1861, pi. 67, fig. 1, cor)."i 



Typical Herons always have the sternal ends of the coracoids 

 powerfully decussated on the fore part of the sternum; they 

 cross very slightly in Scopiis, but in Ciconia alba apparently 

 not at all. A small manubrial process is developed upon the 

 sternum of Scopus, which is absent in Ciconia, but well developed 

 in Ardea. In all these birds the sternum exhibits a broad, 

 deepish notch upon either side of the carina behind ; and the 

 keel itself extends the entire length of the sternal body, is deep, 

 and has a uniformly convex border below. 



Ardea herodias has four htemapophysial facets upon either 

 costal border, while Ciconia alba has five. Now, in the skeleton 

 of Scopus before me there are six ; and Parker, in his memoir 

 upon the " Shoulder-girdle and Sternum," says he had a 

 sternum of Scopus wherein there were six upon one side and 

 only five upon the other, a very interesting fact (p. 165). 



Apart, then, from the slight decussation of the coracoids and 

 the presence of the manubrium, there is just as much Stork in 

 the sternum of Scopus as there is Heron ; and when we pass to 



1 Parker, W. K., " Shoulder-girdle and Sternum in the Vertebrata," p. 165. 



