600 SHUFELDT—OSTEOLOGY OF THE WOODPECKERS.  [0ct.5, 
Upon lateral aspect we are to note that the ‘‘ infraorbital bar’’ is 
very slender and straight; it is without a quadrato-jugal. Pars 
plana is ample and much curved and there is a fairly well-devel- 
oped os uncinatum. The interorbital septum is a thickish plate, 
which shows a good-sized vacuity near its centre. Still more pos- 
teriorly it will be seen that the sphenotic and squamosal processes 
are both conspicuously developed, while anteriorly the nasai is very 
slender. By their approaching each other the long sphenotic pro- 
cess and the os uncinatum come within one-fifth of completing the 
orbital periphery, and the orbital cavity itself is deep, capacious 
and cup-shaped. Either tympanic bulla, although not strikingly 
large, has the usual cowrie-shell shape so characteristic of the skulls 
in the birds we have now under consideration. 
I find no evidence of any basipterygoidal processes, and the basi- 
temporal region is broad and smooth. Mesially the pterygoids 
nearly meet each other, and either one of these bones supports a 
conspicuous muscle-process. As for the mesopterygoidal portion 
of a pterygoid, itis rather broad and by no means reaches as far 
forward as the palatine spur of the palatine bone of its own side. 
A quadrate is as we find it in the Pzcz generally, but it is to be 
noted that the extremity of its orbital process is slightly expanded. 
Coming to a palatine, we are to observe that the post-palatine plate 
is slightly concaved upon its nether side, its postero-external angle 
is rounded off, and this entire division of a palatine bone is quite 
evidently separated from the prepalatine or more horizontal portion 
by a subconstriction just anterior to the spiculiform interpalatine 
spine. The palatine spur is strongly developed, and, as in Xemo- 
picus, completely fuses anteriorly with the mesial edge of the pala- 
tine to which it belongs. This fusion of the anterior end of the 
palatine spur is at some distance in front of the interpalatine pro- 
cess, while opposite this last-named projection it often sends out a 
little osseous shoot that makes the feint to join with its apex—that is, 
with the apex of the interpalatine spine. A well-marked vomer is 
presert, having the usual form and occupying the usual place, as is 
seen in the Prez generally, and which I have fully defined above. A 
thin or often thread-like septum narium also ossifies in this species 
of Woodpecker, and this extends backward for a variable distance 
in different individuals—in the example before me as far as the 
middle point midway between the very much aborted maxillo- 
palatines. These latter are really more reduced than in any Wood- 
pecker with which I am acquainted. 
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