271 



1410. The furrulum of the common Guinea-fowl (Nitmida 



Its apex is simply compreosed, sad present* DO excavation for UM recaption of loop of 

 the trachea. 



Jluntrritut. 



1411. A put of the skeleton of the trunk, including the 14 cervical and the G dor- 

 sal vertebra?, with the ril>s, sternum and scapular arch, of the Crested Pintado 

 (Numtda crittata). 



The first two pairs of ribs are free, the Meond pair supporting ap|x>mlapr* ; the four suc- 

 ceeding pain of rib* have, in addition, hasmapophyac* which articulate with the sternum . 

 the twentieth, or but, vertebra of this specimen i* free, whilst the four preceding donab air 

 anchylosed together. The apex of the furrulum doe* Ml touch the keel of the sternum ; it 

 u drreloped into a comprrMed cup or bulls, opening forward*, where it receive* a turn of the 



Thin peculiar structure i* described by Dr. Latham in his 'General History of Birds,' 

 vol. viii. 1823, p. N9 ; where, referring to this specimen, be says : " This doubt " (as to the 

 specie* at \umiJa) " hat been cleared up to me by the ingenious and indefatigable Mr. ('lift, 

 of the College of Surgeons, who showed me the bird, from which a breast-bone and trachea 

 MM taken, precisely similar in structure, and was BO other than the Created i 



Pmented by Sir Josrph Bankt, Bart., P.li.S 



Genus Gall**. 

 1412. The skeleton of the male of the Common Fowl ((iallu* domcttictui). 



The mastoid has coalesced with the postfrontal. One free vertebra intervene* between the 

 sacrum and the four coalesced dorsal vertebrae. The iliac bone* meet and unite above the 

 spine of the sacrum, leaving two longitudinal intervening channels. Tlic sternum has a long 

 and moderately deep keel, but only a small part of its body is ossified ; this is chatacteriied 

 by a prominent compressed episternal process, by two elongated costal processes, and by the 

 fear deep and wide notches posteriorly, which convert the lateral parts of the sternum into 

 mere long bifurcate processes ; the lower branch is the longest, and extends parallel with the 

 keel ; the upper and shorter branch bends upwards external to the two posterior hartnapo- 

 physes. The clavicle* are almost straight, and unite at an acute angle to form the furculum, 

 the apex of which is expanded, compressed, and produced downwards. The coracoids are 

 comparatively narrow. The bones of the wing are relatively short. All the character* of 

 the sternum and scapular arch indicate a low power of flight. The legs are powerfully deve- 

 loped, particularly the metaUrsal segment, which with the tibia is shorter, but much stronger, 

 than in the GraUatortt. The toe* are moderately long, strong, and in the usual numbrr. 

 the back -toe being supported by well-developed half-twisted metatartal. The chief charac- 

 teristic of the anchylosed metatarsal* i* the thick conical bony process for the support of the 



