40 MR. W. P. PYCRAFT ON THE [ May 2, 
iii. THE Skuxt or THE Nustiine. (PI. IT. figs. 1 & 1a.) 
It is a matter for regret that the British Museum Collection of 
nestling skulls of Hurylemide is limited to half-grown specimens 
of Hurylemus ochromelas, and these have suffered somewhat 
severely as a consequence of having been preserved in formol. 
a. Cartilage-bones. 
The basioccipital cannot, in these skulls, be more than imper- 
fectly traced, having become fused with the lateral occipitals. 
The exoccipital, or lateral occipital, is a large, more or less 
linguiform plate presenting a broad convex external border, the 
inferior segment of which forms the tympanic cavity, while the 
superior arc of the curve is applied in part to the base of the 
squamosal and in part to the parietal. It is bounded mesiad 
by the supraoccipital and the occipital foramen, which excavate 
a considerable moiety from its internal border. Inasmuch as the 
exoccipital comes into contact with the parietal, it resembles that 
of the Cuculide. 
The supraoccipital is short antero-posteriorly, and is not yet 
ossified ; its superior margin being W-shaped and leaving a large 
fontanelle between itself and the parietals. Laterad it has fused 
with the lateral occipitals, leaving only a faint tell-tale notch to 
indicate the junction. 
The pro-, epi-, and opisthotic bones are now completely concealed 
when the skull is viewed externally. 
The basisphenoid is also concealed, being underfloored by the 
basitemporal plate. 
The alisphenoid appears as an oblong plate, having its long 
axis horizontal. 
The orbito-sphenoid is still membranous, while the presphenoid 
has fused with the basisphenoid. 
The mesethmoid has only just commenced to ossify, and is 
represented by a small linguiform plate supporting the yet carti- 
laginous antorbital plate, and bounded in front by the cranio- 
facial fissure. The interorbital septum formed by the backward 
extension of the plate is as yet only outlined in cartilage. 
The olfactory cavities occupy less than half of the so-called 
anterior narial apertures as seen in the dried skull. The actual 
anterior nares, in Hurylemus ochromelas for example, are small 
and round, and placed at the extreme anterior angle formed by the 
divarication of the nasal and maxillary processes of the premaxilla. 
The superior segment of this circle is formed by membrane, and 
this extends backwards and inwards as a subtubular sheet to be 
attached to the antorbital plate. Mesially this tube is shut in by 
the nasal septum, and inferiorly by membrane forming the roof 
of the palate.. Within the chamber thus formed lies a long, 
somewhat spatulate cartilaginous turbinal extending backwards, 
by a short stalk, to the anterior end of the vomer, ‘The free end 
