Ml 



Family Ardrida (Herons). 



Genus Cancroma. 



1311. The skeleton of the Roat-hill (Canrroma cockltaria). 



The bone* of the upper mandible are remarkably expanded, the natal proceti of the pre- 

 maxillary forming strong median ridge along the upper part. The nostril* are small per- 

 foration* near the base. The temporal fouir are narrow but deep, and meet in a ridge upon 

 the parietal* : the pottfrontal i* deeply notched, and a well-defined COMM (eparate* the ma- 

 toid from the paroccipital proceti. A* compared with the head, the pelvis i* very imall in 

 thi* bird ; the bone* of the leg are (lender, but the tibia and metatanu* are lest elongated 

 than in most of the Order. The fternum ha* a deep and long keel, with two (light posterior 

 notche* ; the apes of the furculum i* bent upward* : the bones of the wing are well deve- 

 loped. There are 23 vertebne between the skull and sacrum, the last seven of which bear 

 moveable ribs : of these only the but four pair* are attached by lurmapophyse* to the strr- 

 num ; there i* an eighth pair of sacral rib* with hsrmapophyses which join those of the pre- 

 ceding rib*. There are 8 caudal vertebne. 



MM*. Son tli. 



1312. The skull of the Boat-bill (Cancroma cocklearia). MM. Brit. 



Genus Ardea. 

 1313. The skeleton of the Heron (Ardea cinerea). 



The apes of the furculum rests upon the anterior extremity of the keel of the sternum. 

 There are 23 vertebne between the tkull and sacrum, of which the last sis support rib* : the 

 first two pairs are free ; the rest are articulated to the uternum by bony hemapophytes ; tin 

 last (seventh) pair of rib* are attached to the sacrum, but do not reach the sternum. 



AW/ 



1314. The skull of the common Heron (Ardea cinerea). Purchased. 



1315. The right half of a longitudinally bisected cranium of a Heron (Ardra 

 eimfrea). 



It show* the ridge dividing the compartment for the cerebral lobe from that for the optir 

 lobe ; the deep depression on the inner furface of the petrosal, and the junction of the two 

 posterior clinoid processes forming a bridge over the sella. The cut border of the cranial 

 wall is thin, and shows a small proportion of diploe. 



