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SIE E. NEWTON AND DB. GADOW ON THE DODO 



The most interesting part of this Parrot is the enormous underjaw. One pair of 

 underjaws is absolutely complete but for a few particles of bone being broken off from 

 the anterior margin. The left mandibles of two other specimens are nearly complete. 

 A fourth specimen is represented by the posterior half of the left mandible only. 

 These four jaws vary somewhat in size. The distance from the posterior angle (^j in 

 fig. 5, Plate XXXIII.) to the anterior end of the complete symphysis is in the largest 

 and best preserved specimen 78 mm., in the next 71, in the third only 65 mm. The 

 smallest specimen of the extinct Mauritian Parrot is consequently still 8 mm. larger 

 than that of Necropsittacus roderieanus. The width of the mandibles shows the same 

 proportions. Each underjaw has a distinct additional articulating facet, about 7 mm. 

 in length, for the ventral surface of the outer process of the quadrate, which carries 

 the jugal bone. Such an additional facet, besides the usual one at the ventral end of 

 the quadrate, is indicated in Cacatua galerita, broad and well developed in Stringops, 

 Calyptorhynchus, and Ara: in fact, in many Parrots with powerful and broad underjaws. 



It seems rather improbable that such an enormous jaw should be associated with a 

 Cockatoo of moderate size ; but, curiously enough, the comparison of the greatest length 

 of the mandibles with the total length of the hinder extremity shows that Necrojjsit- 

 tacus roderieanus had actually a proportionately larger jaw than the species of 

 Mauritius, because the length of the jaw should not be more than 50 or 51, while it 

 is in fact 57 mm. Of course it is hardly necessary to observe that there can scarcely 

 be any correlation between the length of the whole leg and the size of the bill and 

 head in a Parrot ; but, having to deal with scanty remains of birds whose anatomical 

 structure is otherwise unknown, we have to be grateful for small mercies. At any 

 rate, we find that the Parrots from Mauritius and from Eodriguez not only resemble 

 each other in the proportions of the bones of their hinder extremities, but also in the 



