1899.] CRAXIiL OSTEOLOGY OF THE PARROTS. 33 



the temporalis muscle. The squamosal process is broad, deeply- 

 notched at its base above the quadrate articulation, and the supra- 

 meatal process and the flattened or excavated surface in front of it 

 are considerably developed. The auditory meatus is narrow and 

 crescentic, its upper end forming a deep notch. While this notch 

 approximates to the occipifal ridge, lower down a broad surface lies 

 between the latter and the meatus. The paroccipital process is 

 extremely short and blunt. The nostrils are large, the mandibular 

 fenestra very large, and the interorbital fenestra small. 



The skull of G. nigra agrees in most points with that of C. vasa- 

 But the paroccipitals are shorter, rounder, and more expanded ; 

 the triangle of the basltemporal plate is more obtuse, and it is less 

 elevated from the level of the occipital condyle. 



The mandible has in both species a very large fontanelle. 



In Psittacus the postfrontal process is stout and prominent though 

 short, the impression of the temporalis muscle elongated, but 

 narrow from above downwards. The squamosal process straight 

 and narrow, devoid of a notch ; the suprameatal process ill 

 developed ; the auditory meatus moderately wide, its posterior 

 border nearly straight and widely separate from the occipital 

 ridge ; the paroccipital process is prominent ; the nostril and the 

 interoi'bital fenestra are both of moderate size ; the mandibular 

 fenestra is small. 



Of Dasyptilus ^xcqueti (fig. 28) I have only an imperfect skull, 

 removed from a skin ; but, as it is, it exhibits characters of con- 

 Fig. 28. 



Imperfect skull of Dasi/ptilus pecqueH. 



siderable interest. The orbit is incomplete, and the prefrontal 

 process even less than in Psittacus. The postfrontal is small, and 

 much as in the latter genus. The squamosal is extremely stout 

 and broad, and bears an accessory process and notch on its lower 

 border. The suprameatal tubercle is minute. The auditory 

 meatus is nearly circular, and is surrounded by a strong ring of 

 bone, produced below into a small notch or lip ; there is no 

 posterior or superior notch, and in front the ring of bone separates, 

 in an unusually complete way, the auditory cavity from the 

 Peoc. Zool. Soc— 1899, No. III. 3 



