332 



MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON 



[Apr. 15, 



Grits. 



Maxillo-palatines of con- 

 siderable size and visible 

 from beneath. 



Yomer ends in a point. 



Postorbita! not distinct 

 from postfrontal pro- 

 cess. 



Foramen magnum at 

 posterior end of skull. 



Schizorhinal. 



HcBmatopus. 



Maxillo-palatines very 

 small and fased with 

 palatines. 



Vomer truncated at ex- 

 tremity '. 



Postorbital angle slight 

 but distinct from post- 

 fontal process. 



Temporal fossje com- 

 mence below former and 

 extend on to occipital 

 surface. 



Foramen magnum visible 

 on under surface of 

 skull. 



Scbizorliiual. 



(Edicnemus. 



Maxillo-palatines of con- 

 siderable sizeandvisible 

 from beneath. 



Vomer ends in a blunt 

 jioint. 



Postorbital angle not dis- 

 tinct from postfrontal 

 process. 



Foramen magnum at pos- 

 terior eud of skull. 



Holorbinal. 



Two prominent members of Huxley's Geranomorphae show the 

 following resemblances and differences : — 



Gnis. 



Occipital foramina present. 



Articulation of quadrate not concealed 

 by squamosal. 



Interorbital septum less defective. 



Maxillo-palatines with an outer con- 

 cave border. 



Maxillary part of nasal bone facing 

 forwards. 



Anterior process of quadrate does 

 not end in a straight truncated 

 extremity. 



Palatines of approximately equal 

 breadth throughout; anteriorly they 

 largely conceal the underlying 

 maxillo-palatines. 



Schizorhinal. 



Ocydromus. 



None. 



Articulation of quadrate concealed by 

 squamosal. 



Interorbital septum hardly ossified -. 



Maxillo-palatines with an outer con- 

 vex border^. 



Maxillary part of nasal bone facing 

 outwards. 



Anterior process of quadrate does 

 end in a straight truncated surface. 



There is a sharp distinction between 

 the anterior narrow and the poste- 

 rior broad portion of palatine. The 

 maxillo-palatines are not much con- 

 cealed by the palatines. 



Holorbinal. 



In the following pages some of the most prominent skull cha- 

 racters aie given in which Fsojjhiu differs from various genera of 

 "Alectorides." It does not appear to me to show any particular 

 resemblances to the well-marked family of the Limicolse. I have 

 not therefore troubled to indicate its differences from that family 

 which would be in all the points raised as well as in many others. 



' Garrod ("!Notes on the Anatomy and Systematic Position of the Genera 

 Thiitocorus and Attuyis" P. Z. S. \i<ll, p. 417, fig. 2) figures the vomer of this 

 and other '' Limicolaj" as excavated at the top. It was certainly not so in my 

 specimen. In Xumenius pkceojMS there is an extraordinarily deep excavation 

 at the point of the vomer; so much so that the vomer might be described as 

 bifid with two slender branches. 



- This is not so with Fulica and Arainides, which are nearer to the Ciaues. 



^ This does not apply to Fulica. 



