1890.] 



THE STRUCTURE OF PSOPHIA. 



331 



project inwards of the palatines. They differ from those of Grus 

 and Fulica in being convex, and not concave, on the outer side. In 

 tliese points, Psophia agrees with Chunga and Ocydromus. 



In Rhinochetus and Euriipyga the niaxillo-pabitines are thin 

 curved plates entirely invisible when the skulls are looked at from 

 below. 



In Numenius, Metopidius, and CEdicnemus their structure is much 

 like that of the last-mentioned genera. 



Aramus connects Grus with Psophia. 



The lachrymal hone in Psophia is large and its descending process 

 is club-shaped and swollen ; it nearly comes into contact with the 

 rather thick prefrontal process of the ethmoid. On the whole it 

 appears to me that this bone is most similar to that of Chunga and 

 CEdicnemus ^. 



In Fulica, Aramus, Ocydromus, Aramides, and Grus the descend- 

 ing process of the lachrymal nowhere near touches the piefrontal 

 jirocess of the ethmoid. It becomes fused with it in Parra, Hydro- 

 phasianus, Metopidius, and Numenius. 



The palatines ot Psophia, as Parker has remarked", come nearest 

 to those of the Cranes ; I find that Aramus (which must be regarded 

 as a Crane), CEdicnemus, and Numenius have palatines which are 

 not unlike those of Psophia and the Cranes. 



Ocydromus, Fulica, Porphyrio, Parra so far differ that the anterior 

 half of each palatine is very much narrower than the posterior. 



Before proceeding to discuss the affinities oi Psophia as indicated 

 by the skull, it will be convenient to clear the ground by contrasting 

 several of the more typical Gralline forms, which have, it appears to 

 me, been wrongly associated together. The Cranes do not show so 

 many points of resemblance to the Limicolse as to warrant their 

 inclusion in the same group, while CEdicnemus, usually assigned to 

 the Limicolse, differs from both. 



Grits. 



The supraorbital ridges 

 are rounded off and the 

 impressions for glands 

 only just furrow their 

 margin. 



Lachrymal does not join 

 ectethmoid. 



Occipital foramina 



present. 

 Basipterygoid processes 

 absent •*. 



Hamatojms. 



The supraorbital ridges 

 are sharp and the de- 

 pressions for supraor- 

 bital glands are con- 

 spicuous. 



Lachrymal completely 

 fused with ectethmoid, 

 forming a ring ^. 



present. 



present. 



CEdionemm. 



The supraorbital ridges 

 are sharp. No depres- 

 sion for glands. 



Lachrymal articulates 

 with ectethmoid, form- 

 ing a ring ; lachrymal 

 also prolonged so as to 

 nearly reach jugal. 



absent. 



absent. 



^ In a specimen of CE. bistriafus I found this bone aukylosed with the marcin 

 of the orbit. 



^ Loc. cit. p. .509. 



^ I find that Garrod ("On the Anatomy of Aramus scolopaccitx," P. Z. S. 187(5, 

 p. 275) has laid stress upon this characteristic feature of the Limicoliue skull. 



* According to Huxley they are present in Grus virgo. 



