I 



1890.] THE STRUCTURE OF PSOPHIA. 333 



Psophia shows tlie following points of difference from Grus ■ — 



(1) The inner margin of the palatines is not greatly bent down- 

 wards to form the inner lamina. 



(2) The vomer ends on a level with the anterior margin of the 

 maxillo-palatines, it is anteriorly thin and compressed. 



(3) There is no conspicuous foramen formed at the junction of the 

 quadrato-jugal with the maxilla. 



(4) There are no occipital foramina above the foramen magnum, 

 (.j) The supraorbital margin is produced into a thin, strong, 



sharp-edged area. 

 ((!) It is holorhinal. 



(7) The interorbital plate is much less vacuolate. 



(8) The palatines are wider behind than in front. 



(9) The temporal fossse are not so extensive. 



(10) The surface of the maxillary process of the nasal bone is 

 directed outwards. 



Psophia shows the following points of difference from Ocydro- 

 mus : — 



(1) The inner margin of the palatines is not greatly bent down- 

 wards. 



(."») The supraorbital margin is produced into a sharp edge. 



(7) The interorbital plate is not largely vacuolate. 



(8) The contrast between the wider posterior aud narrower anterior 

 ]>art of the palatines is not so marked. 



(9) Tlie temporal fossae are not nearly so well marked. 



(1 1) The lateral ethmoid processes come more nearly into contact 

 with the descending process of the lachrymal, which very nearly 

 reaches the jvigal. 



(12) The skull is relatively broad in the interorbital region. 



(13) The articulation of the quadrate is not hidden by a down- 

 ward growth of the squamosal. 



In all these points I'sophia also differs from Fulicu and Aranudes, 

 Crex and Porp/u/rio ; but, in the latter, characters Nos. 9 and 13 offer 

 less-marked differences. The vomer in Crex and Porphyria is a 

 much broader bone, though ending in a point. 



Psophia shows the following differences from (Edic?iemus ' : — 



(2) The vomer does not extend beyoud the anterior end of 

 maxillo-palatines. 



(3) There is no conspicuous foramen at the junction of the jugal 

 with the maxilla. 



(7) The interorbital plate is not so vacuolate, though the vacuo- 

 lation is slight in (Edicnemus, 



(!)) The temporal fossa; are not so well marked. 



' Tlic ^liarp cdj^e of the sii))nii)rbit;il region is largely duo iu Psophia to a 

 ehain of suijraorbiul boues, which were lirst made knowu by Parker (•' On the 

 Osteology of the Kagu," he. elf. p. 50o). It is possible tlia,t (EcUritcnus aud 

 Ehinochctus, wliich agree in this particular with I'gophia, will be found to bave 

 a similar series of ossicles which in the adult become completely fused with the 

 frontals aud parietals. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1890, No. XXIII. 23 



