562 



STRUCTURAL CHARACTERS 



Vomer the ploughshare bone, the median bony, laterally compressed, or " blade- 

 shaped" plate of bone lying in the roof of the mouth, articulating with the 

 palatines, and often embraced by the palatine processes of the maxilla or "jaw-bone." 

 In many species the vomer is vestigial, or even wanting altogether. (Fig. 3.) 



(6) STERNUM. 



Carina-sterni the body of the breast-bone. 



Coracoid the bony rod attached to the front end of the sternum for the support of the 



clavicle, or merry-thought. 



Meta-sternum the central portion of the body of the breast-bone. 

 Spina communis the perforated median plate formed by the fusion of the spina interna 



and externa. (Fig. 6.) 

 Spina externa the bony spur which arises from the front of the sternum immediately 



below the caracoid groove. (Fig. 6.) 

 Spina interna the bony spur which arises from the body of the sternum, immediately 



above the coracoid groove and above the spina externa. (Fig. 6.) 

 Oblique, posterior and lateral processes. See Fig. 6. 

 (c) LEG and HIP-GIRDLE 



Cnemial appertaining to the knee. 



Ectepicondyloid process the bony prominence on the outer side of the lower end of the 



humerus or upper arm, e.g. Gull. 

 Entepicondyloid process the bony prominence on the inner side of the lower end of 



the humerus or upper arm bone. 



Hypotarsus the bony spur on the hinder border of the upper end of the tarso-metatarsus. 

 Pectineal process the spur in front of the socket for the femur, for the attachment of 



the ambiens muscle. 



Pelvis the bony girdle for the support of the hind limbs. 



(Continued on p. 564) 



Fig. 1. HOLOKHINAL NAKES (PHEASANT). 



Top view of the skull of a Pheasant to show the condition of the nostrils 

 known as "holorhinal." Note that the "nasal processes," or backward 

 prolongations of the pre-maxilla which forms the chief element in the 

 beak project far beyond the hinder border of bony aperture of the 

 nostrili. 



Fig. 2. SCHIZORHINAL NAEES (GCLL). 



^.Top view of the skull of a Gull to show the 

 condition of the nostrils known as "schizo- 

 rliinal." Note that the nasal processes of the 

 pre-inaxilla fall far short of the hinder border 

 of the bony nostrils. The supra-orbital 

 grooves for the lodgment of the supra-orbital 

 glands, which are always largely developed in 

 a>[iiatic birds, and the temporal fossa and 

 post-orbital process are well shown here. 



