80 BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



Cracine and Galline are herein used as short equivalents for " peristero- 

 podous " and " alectoropodous," — the latter terms, although expressing 

 the precise meaning needed, being a trifle cumbersome for ordinary use ; 

 " galliform " is employed to designate such characters as are shared in 

 common by all members of the Galliformes. 



Head. — The beak much resembles that of Ortalis, being moderate in 

 size, stouter than in Crax, Rollulus, and Phasianus ; but not so short, 

 stout, and decurved as in Colinus and allied genera. The holorhinal 

 narial opening is also much like that of Ortalis, and the nasal, which has 

 escaped injury, is typically galliform ; the superior process can be clearly 

 seen, but the inferior process is covered on its lower part by crushed bone. 

 The lachrymal, or prefrontal, appeal's to have been well developed, con- 

 trasting in this respect with the American gi-ouse (in which the prefron- 

 tal is usually quite small), and agreeing with the curassows. The post- 

 frontal process is stout and directed forwai-ds. The mandible is stout 

 and imperforate, and while it has a blunt angular projection, the re- 

 curved process so characteristic of the Galliformes is lacking. This is 

 the most notable departure from the galjiform structure found in the 

 skeleton. 



VertebrcB arid Bibs. — Little can be said of the vertebrae save that the 

 vertebral column presents the customary galliform arrangement of a free 

 vertebra in front of the synsacrum preceded by a mass of anchylosed 

 vertebrae, but as to the number of the latter nothing can be affirmed. 

 The cervicals have suffered from the mistaken zeal of the preparator, 

 and but five can be definitely distinguished between what should be the 

 axis and where the column disappears in the flattened bones of the 

 wings. The caudals are mostly lacking, so that, unfortunately, nothing 

 can be learned from them. 



Four pairs of ribs are articulated with the sternum, and at least one 

 pair (one is the customary number in the Galliformes) arose from the 

 synsacrum. Several ribs lie over the synsacrum, but there is no reason 

 to suppose that all of them articulated with it. The usual number of 

 ribs among the Galliformes is five on a side ; Pavo has six, but the 

 number in the present specimen cannot be made out. There is quite a 

 little space between the first and second costal facets, the succeeding 

 three being crowded together. This is interesting from the fact that it 

 is a feature of modern galline birds, the spacing of the costals being 

 more regular among the curassows. 



Shoxdder Girdle. — The scapula is not imlike that of Rollulus, being 

 long, narrow, and with parallel borders, as in many of the cura.ssows, or 



