MR. W. K. PARKER ON THE OSTEOLOGY OF THE KAGU. 513 
upper spine begins to reappear, and in the last two the ribs do not become ankylosed. 
The last but three (the thirteenth)’ has more breadth than length (Pl. XCI. figs. 1 & 2, 
and Pl. XCII. figs. 17, 17 a, 176, 17 ¢); and this great development in the transverse 
direction is still greater in the three last. The spine of the last cervical (Pl. XCI. 
figs. 1 & 2, and Pl. XCII. figs. 18, 18a, 184) is very high and also very thick; it 
has a low inferior spine, a large transverse process that projects beyond the “tuber- 
culum” of its styloid rib, and a neat cup on each side for the corresponding “ capitulum 
cost ;” the styloid feeble ribs (PI. XCI. fig. 2, 1s) are less than an inch in length. 
‘The five dorsal vertebre are all ankylosed together, except the last, and in the free 
bone the inferior crest has died out (PI. XCI. fig. 1,d5). The upper spine of the first 
dorsal is higher than that of the second; they then increase in height until we reach the 
third sacro-lumbar. As the tendons are but little ossified in the Kagu, the transverse 
processes of the dorsals are permanently distinct (Pl. XCII. fig. 5d); the bodies of the 
second, third, and fourth are very thin and carinate. 
In the height of the dorsal and lumbo-sacral spines the Kagu comes near to Ocydro- 
mus; in the Kagu the third sacro-lumbar attains its greatest height (Pl. XCI. fig. 1); 
behind this the spine aborts rapidly, and the hinder two-fifths of the sacrum has no 
spine. 
The eleventh sacral has a long, unsegmented rib on each side; for this part of the 
sacrum is of great width (PI. XCII. figs. 5 & 7); behind the eleventh the component 
vertebre gradually lose the distinction in rib and transverse process. The sacrum 
(Pl. XCI. fig. 1) has its last third more bent downwards than in any bird I know, and 
the caudal series (ed) takes the same downward direction. The caudal vertebra of the 
Kagu (Pl. XCI. fig. 1, ed, and Pl. XCII. figs. 5 & 7, cd) are furnished with long 
transverse processes, as in the Hwrypyga; in this they both differ from the Psophia. 
The last piece (Pl. XCII. fig. 1, cd) is sharper than in either of the related types. The 
ribs (Pl. XCI. fig. 1, and Pl. XCII. fig. 5) are feebler than in any related type, and the 
appendages are small, and only present on the first four. The upper part of the ribs is 
very much enlarged in Psophia, Ocydromus, and Eurypyga, much less so in the Kagu. 
The sternal pieces (sr) are also feeble, and that belonging to the sacro-lumbar rib 
(s./7) is imperfect below; altogether, the ribs are very feeble and embryonic. 
But the shoulder-girdle and sternum show the most remarkable embryonic characters, 
and have their only counterpart in this respect amongst the Carinate in the feeblest- 
winged Rail (Lrachypteryx australis). Ocydromus has a more perfect sternum. 
The scapula (Pl. XCI. fig. 3, sc, and Pl. XCII. fig. 5, sc) is an extremely feeble and 
very curved bone; it is only half the relative width of the scapula of Psophia and 
Eurypyga; but in these types this bone is very much curved. The acromion process 
(Pl. XCII. fig. 5, sc) is blunt and of a moderate size, and the suprascapular tip. of the 
* In Plate XCI. fig. 2, the penultimate vertebra is numbered 17 by mistake ; in Plate XCIL., fig. 17 repre- 
sents the thirteenth vertebra. 
432 
