330 



MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON 



[Apr. 1.5, 



I shall now proceed to direct attention to certain points in the 

 skull, some of which I have not seen referred to elsewhere. 



Skull. 



As to the temporal fossse, Prof. Parker contrasts the Kagu on the 

 one hand with Anthropoides, Balearica, Psophia, Eurypijgu, Ocydro- 

 mus, and CEdicnenius on the other. 



Psophia and Rhiiiochetus appear to me rather as the two exlreinea 

 whicli are connected by various intermediate types as follows : — 



Psophia. 

 CEdicnemns. 

 Arainus. ] 

 Grus. V 

 Fulica. J 

 Oct/dromus. 

 Eurijpiiga. 

 Rhinochetus. 



In Eurypyga the temjioral fossae more nearly approach each other 

 on the occipital face of the skull than in any other type except the 

 Kauu. 



In Psophia, as in most of its allies, the postorbital angle and the 

 postfrontal process are one. 



Fig. 1. 



Side view of skidl of Psophia leucoptera. 



In the skull of Rhinochetus examined by myself, it seemed to me 

 that this was not the case, and that the original (?) separateness of 

 the two processes was just visible. This appears to be confirmed by 

 the fact that the two are quite obviously distinct, though both are 

 small, in Eurypijga helias, a bird unmistakably allied to Rhinochetus. 

 Something of the same kind occurs in many LimicolcB. 



The maiillo-palatines are comparatively large and swollen and 

 are quite visible when the skull is regarded from below, as they 



