ON THE ANATOMY OF PASSERINE BIRDS. 371 
portions of the palatine bones, as termed by Mr. Parker, is to be seen 
in both the genera. 
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. 
Fig. 1. Palatal view of skull of Eurylemus ochromelas. 
Fig. 2. Palatal view of skull of Calyptomena viridis. 
Turning to a different subject, I desire to direct attention to a 
peculiarity in the skulls of some of the Dendrocolaptide among the 
Tracheophone Passeres, which has, in my opinion, some significance in 
the arrangement of the genera of that family. 
From an examination of Furnarius rufus, Leptasthenura cegitha- 
loides, Synallazis frontalis, Sclerurus caudacutus, and Phleocryptes 
melanops, I find that these birds present features in the conformation 
of their nasal bones not present in Conopophaga aurita, Dendrocolaptes Page 450. 
albicollis, Picolaptes affinis, Thamnophilus murinus, Thamnophilus 
doliatus, Thamnomanes glaucus, Grallaria quatemalensis, Hylactes mega- 
podius, Pteroptochus albicollis, or any other Passerine bird with which 
I am acquainted. They are, in fact, schizorhinal, like the Charadrii- 
formes ; in other words, the osseous external nares are in the form of 
triangular openings, the apical angle of each of the triangles being 
situated between the inner and outer process of the nasal bone of the 
corresponding side.* Figure 3 gives a view of the upper surface of 
the skull of Furnarius rufus. It has been my habit to group all the 
birds possessing the schizorhinal skull in a single major division, 
including the restricted Limicole, the Gruidx, Laride, Alcide, and 
the Columbide; but the independent development of an identical 
disposition in the small division of the Passerine birds above mentioned 
weakens the importance of the character to a certain extent, although 
it is not at all necessary to assume that it overthrows its significance. 
Collateral evidence, from visceral and other details, compels me still 
* Vide “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1873, p. 33. (Supra, p. 124.) 
2B2 
