184 MR. W. P. PYCRAFT ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND 
The maxillary, which is confluent for about half of its length with the palatine 
process, is styliform, and terminates in the anterior region of the antorbital fossa. 
The palatine process is of great size, extending beyond the maxillary process, and 
terminating at, or falling but little short of, the anterior border of the posterior nares. 
I this it agrees with Dromeus. 
Struthio differs from all the other Ratite in the absence of a palatine process, and the 
consequent enormous size of the palatine foramen. 
The whole premaxilla has a unique triradiate form; the radii are of great length, 
so that the body of the bone is reduced to the smallest possible dimensions. 
The nasal process is broad and flattened, tapering somewhat abruptly posteriorly. 
The maxillary processes are long and styliform, terminating at the level of the 
anterior region of the orbit. 
In Crypturi the form of the premaxilla is precisely similar to that of Rhea. The 
free end of the palatine process is brought to the level of the anterior border of the 
posterior nares, and interlocks with the distal end of the palatine. In this last point 
it differs from Rhea. The palatine foramen, as in Rhea, is long and narrow. 
Apteryx is the most abnormal of all the Palwognathe. The whole beak is 
produced forwards into an elongated probe, curved slightly downwards, in the tip of 
which the external nostrils lie. 
In the adult skull the fusion of the separate elements, not only of this region of the 
beak alone, but of the skull generally, is so complete, that it is impossible to 
make out their boundaries. 
The body of the premaxilla is reduced to its smallest possible limits, being com- 
posed only by the confluent end of the rod-like nasal process, and of the combined 
maxillary and palatine processes, which for this reason are but delicate rods. 
The nasal process takes the form of a long slender rod, grooved ventrally and 
running backwards to the mesethmoid. Its posterior region rests upon the elongated 
nasal bones. 
The maxillary and palatine processes are fused throughout the greater part of their 
length, and form elongated flattened rods, divided in the middle line by a narrow groove 
representing the palatine foramen. Posteriorly there is given off a short splint-like 
palatine spur, representing the palatine process. The extremest limit of this falls 
considerably short of the anterior end of the antorbital fossa. 
‘The maxillary process can be traced backwards splint-wise as far as the level of the 
foot of the lachrymal. Thus the maxillary processes are of about equal length. 
‘The nasal, and nasal process of the premaxilla above, and the maxillary process of 
the premaxilla below, serve to form a long narrow groove leading forwards into the 
anterior nasal fossa, this last having shifted forwards to the extreme end of the beak. 
This nasal furrow bears a strong resemblance to that of the Ibises, the difference being 
that the nasal fossa lies behind instead of in front of the groove, as in Apteryx. It 
seems to suggest that the shifting forward of the nasal aperture has followed the course 
