1899.] 



CEAJflAL OSTEOLOGY OF THE PARROTS. 



35 



three; while Agapornis anA Palceornis also bfive peculiar characters. 

 The skulls of Geoffroyus and Eclectus are extremely alike, in all 

 their leading features : the}'' are, moreover, so similar to that of 

 Coracopsis, that their descriptions may be abbreviated. They 

 both have, as in Coracopsis, a prefrontal which reaches to, but 

 does not join, the squamosal ; a small postfrontal, somewhat larger, 

 however, than in Coracopsis and directed more forwards ; a raised 

 triangular basitemporal shield, with broad smooth lateral areas 



Ym. 31. 



Quadrate bone of lani/gnathus megalorhynchus. 



Eig. 32. 



Polytelis barrabandi. 



Tig. 33. 



Aprosmictus cyanopygius. 



reaching back to a sharp and nearly horizontal paramastoid : iu 

 both, the lower margin of the auditory meatus is deeply and 

 narrowly notched, the upper and posterior angle somewhat square, 

 especially in Eclectus ; the temporal fossa narrow and deep. The 

 mandibular fontanelle is distinct but not large. 



Tanygnathus, while appertaining to the same type, exhibits 

 numerous points of difference. The orbital ring is more widely 



3* 



