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PROF. W. K. PARKER ON AGITHOGNATHOUS BIRDS. 
Example 23. Petroica bicolor. 
Habitat. Australia. Group “Tracheophone ;” family “ Muscicapide.” 
This is the largest of those of this genus whose osteology is displayed in the Museum 
of the College of Surgeons. Its number in the ‘Catalogue’ is 1584; the other species 
there are P. multicolor (1584 a), P. phenicea (1584 8B), and P. fusca (1584 c). 
Petroica bicolor is one of the strongest of the smaller Passerines in pelvis and hinder 
limb; its general osteology is as full of interest as that of the Australian type already 
described, namely Menura. 
In its skull and face, however, it comes near the soft-billed passerines. Yet its affinity 
is not with our native Wrens and Sylvie; but, in its palate at least, it approaches those 
types that are found in the Panama district of America, the “ Mniotiltide,” afterwards 
to be described, coming nearer to these, in some respects, than to Muscicapa. ‘The 
pterygoids (Pl. LX. fig. 10, pg) agree with those of the “ Formicariide,” save that they 
are longer, and more arched, but little uncinate, and are elegantly expanded in a falcate 
manner in front. 
As in Grallaria, the postpalatine keels (pt.pa) are deep, wide apart, and angulate, 
and the rostrum shows well between the right and left bone and the crura of the vomer. 
The interpalatine spur is very short, the transverse part of the bone of the medium 
extent; and the transpalatine spur (¢.p@) is arcuate, and of a width intermediate between 
that of a common and of a Piping Crow; it is bluntly pointed, as in Anthreptes. The 
vomer (v) is of great interest. The moieties of the true vomer are seen distinct for a 
long distance behind, and for a short space in front, where they end in two short horns, 
with a rounded emargination between them; this part is subcarinate below. But the 
outside of the bone is formed of the septo-maxillaries (s.ma), which are nearly as large 
as the halves of the true vomer, as in the Serpent. The upper lobes of this compound 
vomer are but little developed; the maxillo-palatine processes are obliquely handled 
spatule, as in many high-class passerines. 
Example 24. Petroica monticola. 
Habitat. Australia. Group “'Tracheophone ;” family ‘‘ Muscicapide.” 
The palate of this smaller species (Pl. LX. fig. 9) differs from the last principally 
in slenderness; and the transpalatine processes come very near to those of the “ Necta- 
riniide.” 
The yvyomerine crura are more bowed, and the united part of much greater extent. 
The true vomerine bones (v) unite in front by a rounded point; and the sutures 
between these and the marginal septo-maxillaries (s.ma) are very distinct, as in the 
**Mniotiltide.” A bone answering to the prevomerine portion of the Snake’s septo- 
maxillary (s.ma’) has grafted itself on the inturned alinasal lamina (7. a./). The maxillo- 
palatines are alike in both species. 
There is a close affinity, one with another, in many of the lesser narrow-billed 
VOL. IxX.—PART v. December, 1875. 22 
