1900. ] SHUFELDT— OSTEOLOGY OF THE STRIGES. 689 
first dorsal is the shortest and stoutest, that of the last the most 
delicately constructed. Superiorly, these processes support meta- 
pophysial ridges at their extreme outer borders. These ridges on 
the transverse processes of the first dorsal are the largest, being 
rounded at both ends, and extending a little backward and for- 
ward, but far from touching the ridge either in front or behind 
them. The metapophysials of the last dorsal are smaller, being 
sharp, styliform and project only forward, not touching, however, 
the transverse processes in front of them. 
On the intermediate vertebre they change gradually between 
these two extremes, but in no instance meet the transverse processes 
of the vertebra before or behind them, and thus constitute an addi- 
tional aid to the rigidity of the back, as it does in other species of 
this family and in many other birds. The centra increase in depth 
beneath the neural canal the nearer they are to the sacrum. In the 
first dorsal the body measures about one millimetre, the vertical 
diameter of the canal being three; in the last dorsal it equals the 
diameter of the canal. ‘The interarticular facets are in the vertical 
plane, with their concavities and convexities opposed to each other, 
as they were described when speaking of the last cervical vertebre. 
The bodies are about of a length, constricted at their middles and 
expanding toward their extremities. The first two ‘dorsals each 
bear in the median line, beneath, a hypapophysial process of con- 
siderable size, affording abundant surface for attachment of some of 
the muscles of the neck. ‘The process of the first dorsal has one 
common trunk, with a compressed midprong and two lateral and 
pointed subprocesses. ‘The second dorsal possesses a single long 
hypapophysis, quadrate in form, dipping into the chest further than 
the first. There is not a trace on the remaining dorsals of this ap- 
pendix. Parapophysial processes, so prominent in nearly all the 
cervicals, afford in the dorsal vertebrze simply articulating facets 
for the capitula of the ribs situated just within the anterior margin 
ot the neural canal of each centrum, never extending to the verte- 
bre beyond, forming the demi-facet of andranatomia. Imme- 
diately above these facets, on either side, may be noticed a group 
of pneumatic foramina, of various sizes and shapes, and again, an- 
terior to these foramina, the rim of the body of the vertebra for a 
limited distance becomes sharply concave, being opposite to a like 
concavity in the next vertebra, the two, when opposed and articu- 
lated, forming the oval foramen for the exit of the dorsal nerves. 
