300 PEOF. W. K. PAKKEE ON ^GITHOGNATHOUS BIEDS. 



of an ancient and almost extinct race, a race from which the most highly gifted and the 

 most numerous of all the feathered tribes have probably sprung, then the interest in- 

 creases ten-fold, and the morphologist will never rest until the relations of every 

 branch to this simple stock are understood. 



To this end a clear conception of what is highest in the facial morphology of birds 

 is, before all things, necessary; and our Old-World Crows and Warblers will furnish 

 us with " that which is most perfect in its own kmd," and therefore fit to be " the 

 measure of the rest." 



On the Morphology of the Face in the Coeacomorph^. 



Example 1. Corvus frugilegus. 



Hahitat. Great Britain and Europe. Group " Oscines," Miiller ; family " Corvidee." 



In all respects, physiological, morphological, and ornithological, the Crow may be 

 placed at the head, not only of its own great series (bii'ds of the Crow-form), but also as 

 the unchallenged chief of the whole of the " Carinatse." 



The earlier stages of the skull-face of this type have already been given (see 'Monthly 

 Microscopical Journal," Nov. 1872, pis. .34-39, pp. 217-226). The figures of the 

 fledgeling here given (PI. LV. figs. 1-4) are a further working-out of the oldest figured 

 in that paper (pi. 38). The dissected palate of this bird (C. frugilegus) is a full revela- 

 tion of an " segithognathous face." Once clearly understood, this will serve as a ready 

 diagnostic in the discrimination of numberless species ; by this they all may be judged, 

 and then take the right or left-hand file — either to be classed with the Coracomorphse, or 

 take their room lower down with the less-specialized groups. 



The parasphenoidal rostrum (fig. l,^j«.s) is short, and spreads into the symmetrical 

 tympanic wings or " posterior pterygoid processes." Near the end it has a slight rudi- 

 ment of the basipterygoid processes. At the opposite, distal end of the trabecular arch 

 the coalesced prsemaxillaries have a strong scooped triangular body ; from this proceeds 

 the dentary and palatine process, very close together, and, above, the combined nasal 

 processes (d. px, p. ju; n. lu). The parasphenoid (^;«.s) has completely coalesced with 

 its endo-skeletal part, the proximal half of the fused trabecule ; but the praemaxillaries 

 have formed no such union with the anterior half The azygous praenasal cartilage (jm) 

 is still only half absorbed ; behind it the coalesced distal ends of the trabeculse are deve- 

 loped into a " recurrent process " {rc.c); behind this part they reappear in their originally 

 broad flat form {tr), and then immediately in front of the " hinge-notch " they are com- 

 pressed again : this part is seen in front of and above the vomer {v). But this foremost 

 facial arch (the trabecular) cannot be studied here separately from the nasal labyrinth. 

 In this palatal or under view (fig. 1) the alinasal laminse {al.n) are continuous witli the 

 fore ends of the trabeculae (cornua trabeculee, c. tr), and also with the azygous prsenasal 



