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VIII. On the Axial Skeleton of the Pelecanidae. By ST. GEORGE [MivABT, F.R.S., 

 F.Z.S., Professor of Biology at University College, Kensington. 



Received March 27th, 1877. Read May 1st, 1877. 



[PLATES LV. to LXL] 



IN selecting the above-named group as the one to succeed that the axial skeleton of 

 which formed the subject of a previous communication to this Society 1 , I have thought 

 it well to take Pelecanus as my type and standard of comparison, first comparing it, 

 as regards its axial skeleton, with Struthio and the other Struthionida?, and then 

 comparing the other Steganopodes with it and with one another. 



The osteology of Pelecanus was very briefly described by Mr. Eyton in his ' Oste- 

 ologia Avium,' p. 219, with a figure of the entire skeleton (pi. 7L), and with figures 

 of the pelvis and sternum (pi, 38. no. 2). It has been described with more detail 

 by Brandt, with figures of the entire skeleton, of the sternum, and pelvis (table vii.), 

 in the ' Mem. de 1'Acad. Imp, des Sc. de St.-Petersbourg,' 1840, 6th series, Sciences 

 Mathematiques, Physiques et Naturelles, tome v. seconde partie, Sciences Naturelles, 

 tome iii. p. 141. 



PELECANUS. 



The materials I have been able to make use of for the examination of this genus 

 are : 



The mounted specimen, No. 1167, of P. onocratalus, disarticulated skeletons 

 Nos. 1168 B and 1168 c, and a sternum, all in the collection of the Royal College of 

 Surgeons. 



A disarticulated skeleton of P. rufescens, lent me by the kindness of Professor 

 Garrod, F.R.S. 



A mounted skeleton of P, mitratus, No. 70. 3. 30. 1 ; another of P. onocratalus, 

 No. 527A ; two other mounted skeletons unnamed, Nos. 64, 12. 20. 1 and 67. 7. 8. 4 

 respectively; and a disarticulated skeleton, No. 65. 5, 3. 12, all in the British 

 Museum. 



The total number of vertebra? in this species seems generally to be 42, without 

 counting the pygostyle 2 . 



1 Read on the 17th of November, 1874. See ante, p. 1. 



2 In P. mitratus in the British Museum there are but 40 vertebras in all, there being but 3 lumbar and 

 5 caudal. In Nos. 67. 7. 8. 4. and 527 A there are but 41 vertebrae, there being but 3 sacro-caudals. 



VOL. x. PART vii. No. 1. August 1st, 1878. 2 x 



