Ea te a a eer oe 
Mr. P. L. Sclater on the Spur-winged Geese. 71 
- Dr. Giinther has called my attention to the fact, that the orifices 
which commonly occur in the skulls of Gralle and Anatide, situate 
in the occipital bone on both sides of the foramen magnum, are re- 
markably small.in both these birds, particularly so in P. Riippellit. 
The sterna of the two birds, as far as the comparison can be made 
(that of P. gambensis being rather distorted by disease), do not pre- 
sent any material points for comparison. The foramina, which in 
both species are closed at the base, are rather longer and larger in 
P. gambensis. 
- The subjoined measurements in inches of the bones of the wings 
show that these organs are comparatively longer in P. Riippellii, and 
the bones are likewise thicker and stronger :— 
P. gambensis. P. Riippellit. 
Length of humerus.............. 74 7°6 
OE WB id ais Fp ay o's 6°5 6°9 
Ot SA sc <3 icc mee es. of 6°25 6°6 
of metacarpus -........... 3°8 4°0 
Comparing the posterior extremities, we find the tarsi and toes, 
again, longer in P. Riippellii, as the following dimensions prove :— 
P. gambensis. P. Riippellii. 
Length of femur .......... BP oar 3°9 40 
PA, he Se eeee ore 6-8 71 
i ee eee 4°5 4°6 
of middle toe from base of 
tarsus to the end of the nail .... 4°45 4°6 
The pelvis is rather narrower in P. Riippellii, the distance between 
the trochanters measuring 1°9 in. ; in P. gambensis 2°1 in. 
The vertebree are, cervical 15, dorsal 10, sacral 13, caudal 8 ; total 
40 ; the true ribs 8, the false 2, in both species. 
The tracheze of these two birds, though, as might have been ex- 
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. 
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