1879.] 



TRACHEA OF THE GALLING. 



375 



of the rings alone. In the adult male the four lowest rings blend 

 in the middle line, both anteriorly and posteriorly. Those higher 

 up do not do so. The last ring of the trachea, the whole plane of 

 which is transverse, sends downwards a bluntly triangular medio- 

 anterior process, with the lower margin of which the first bronchial 

 semirings articulate. Posteriorly, in the full-grown bird, the pes- 

 sulus fuses with the hinder extremities of the same, in such a way 

 as to make it appear to form a continuation of it, as in no other 

 of the Gallinse with which I am acquainted. The first bronchial 

 semiring sends upwards at right angles a strong anterior articular 

 process, it posteriorly expanding triangularly, so that the upper 

 angle meets the lower margin of the last tracheal ring in the usual 



Fig. 28. 



Fig. 29. 



Front view. 



Numida cristata. 



Back view. 



situation, the lower angle articulating with the second semiring, 

 whose other end bends up to be jointed to the corresponding part of 

 the first semiring, developed slightly downwards to articulate with 

 it. The interval between the last tracheal ring and the first bron- 

 chial semiring is considerable and broadly quadrilateral ; that below 

 it is much shallower ; and those above are fusiform, diminishing 

 gradually as they ascend, until the last is quite minute. 



N. ptilorhyncha and N. rendalli are very similar. They agree 

 with one another, and differ from N. cristata in that the extreme 

 lateral edges of the penultimate and last tracheal rings meet and 

 blend, thereby reducing the interannular interval to a guttate form, 



