506 MB. W. K. PARKER ON THE OSTEOLOGY OF THE KAGU. 



no small degi-ee, and, being thus developed into ])seudo-turUnal outgrowths, does 

 correspond, not numerically so far as ossific points are concerned, but truly, in a mor- 

 phological sense, to the pseudo-turUnal (my " prevomer " or " septo-maxillary ") of the 

 Snake and the Lizard. At first sight, no one would doubt that the Pangolin came in 

 to explain the small " postmaxillary " seen in certain birds ; for on the projecting 

 zygomatic angle of the main bone there is a small ossicle, apparently the precise coun- 

 terpart of the little face-bone of the bii-d. This likeness, however, is quite deceptive ; 

 for the bone in the Pangolin is articulated to the zygomatic process of the maxillary, 

 and is the "malar" or "jugal;" whereas in the Bird it answers to the extreme angle 

 of the dentaiy plate, and is a curiously segmented representation of that elegant 

 pupiform maxillary chamber which, in the young Pig [Sus scrofa), contains the 

 hindermost molar tooth. The supplementary ornithic bone can only be explained by 

 referring to the multiple ganoid face-wall of the Lepidosteus. The " septo-maxillary " 

 gets its interpretation from the same fish ; but it crops up in several other ichthyic 

 types — for instance, in another ganoid the {Amia). in Clarias, and in the Clupeoids. 



The maxillary of the Bird may be described as a lateral facial splint, which develops 

 several spui-s and plates, passing in various directions, namely : — the outer or dentary part, 

 which only appears for a small space on the outside, close below the descending crus 

 of the nasal ; the palatine part, which is composed of two portions, an anterior and a 

 posterior ; and the long, styliform zygomatic process. The long anterior palatine pro- 

 cess wedges in between the two forks of the intermaxillary, and articulates by its inner 

 side with the styliform fore end of the palatine. The posterior palatine plate is only 

 moderately broad where it is given off; it then suddenly narrows, both margins being 

 concave, and then expands into what Professor Huxley terms the " maxillo-palatine 

 plate." Below, this part tends to, and often does unite with, its fellow of the opposite 

 side, between the palatines ; this answers to the submesial sutural part of the palatine 

 plate of the maxillary in the Hare. Above, the plate in many birds developes an 

 " anterior septo-maxillary spur " to articulate \vith the septum ; this spur answers to 

 the transverse bar of the septo-maxillary which partly occludes the nares in the 

 Cyclodont Lizards. Above and behind, we have the large, oblique " posterior septo- 

 maxillary lobe ; " this answers to that part of the Lizard's and Snake's septo-maxillary 

 which overlaps the vomer. 



In the Kagu the maxillary has coalesced to a great extent with the surrounding 

 bones ; but with care its boundaries can be discovered ; it is best seen from the under 

 and side aspect (PI. XCT. figs. 2 & 3). This bone is a long style, pointed at both ends, 

 and sending inwards a broad and complex plate. The anterior style fills up the inter- 

 maxillary fork, and answers to the fore end of the palato-maxillary plate of tlie 

 Mammal ; the posterior style is the very long and slender zygomatic process ; and the 

 middle transverse bar answers to the palato-maxillary plate of the Leiwridce, and is 

 developed upwards into the septo-maxillary processes. The anterior style has an 



