266 PROFESSOR W. K. PARKER ON THE 
accurate form appears prone between these arcuate bars (fig. 7). The anterior emar- 
gination of the vomer is semicircular, the inferior edge of which has a rim like the 
rim of a cup; and in front it is somewhat carinate. But above (fig. 8) it becomes 
subtubular by the sudden inbend of its high sides; these inturned plates end sharply 
behind, diverge in front, and stop suddenly at the thick septo-maxillary region—a 
compound tract, formed by osseous substance affecting the “inturned alinasal lamina.” 
Beyond these cornua the nasal wall is only feebly calcified ; but the septum nasi (s. 7), 
which is narrow, is largely ossified. Where the vomer reaches the “inturned lamina,” 
a small separate ossicle can be seen above, and at the side, further forwards, another ; 
these are septo-maxillary ossicles added to the endosteal deposit of that part of the 
_ nasal labyrinth. 
But that which induces me to illustrate the Cardinal’s skull at this point is the pos- 
session by it of the largest “ palato-maxillary” bones seen in any bird (Plate XLVITI. 
figs. 7 & 8, pmax). Here, by comparison of this palate with that of a large Finch, 
such as Coccothraustes (Plate L. fig. 1), it will be seen how thoroughly independent 
this bone is of the premaxillary. It is pupiform, and takes up considerably more than 
the middle third of the contiguous palatine, to the flexuosity of which it is accurately 
adapted. This bone, thickest behind and blunt-pointed at both ends, is a thick slab, 
with diploé inside; but I can find in it no pneumatic passage. 
Example 44. The skull of Jcterus, sp.? Family Icteridez. Group Oscines. 
Habitat. South America ? 
In the Cow-Buntings we have a type from the hotter parts of America, which is 
yery interesting in relation to the Virginian Cardinal and the others of its family, and 
also to the ordinary Buntings (“ Emberizide”) and that Chilian genus Phrygilus, 
which evidently represents them in another hemisphere. 
Nor can they be considered to be unrelated to the Starlings (Sturnide); yet whilst 
these differ from the larger ‘‘Corvide” in having a small lacrymal, in the Icteride 
this is large and corvine, as in many South-American Passerines. The skull of the 
common Starling is altogether lighter and more springy, and has a peculiarity seldom 
seen outside the Duck family, namely a pair of distinct ‘‘interpalatine” bones (Trans. 
Linn. Soe. ser. 2, Zool. vol. 1. pl. 20. fig. 12). 
The skull of the species of the Icteride, Cardinalide, and Emberizide (including 
Pirygilus) shows a most close conformity; in these types it differs from that of the 
Starling in being (1) thick, stout, and Fringilline, (2) in possessing well developed 
palato-maxillary bones (which are not present in Stwrnus), and (3) in not possessing 
distinct interpalatine bones as in that type. Moreover all these families are American, 
except the main part of the Emberizide; and these very birds are the most divided off, 
by special morphological characters, from the great Fringilline group. That remark- 
