1902.] OSTEOLOGY OF THE FALCONIFORMES, 289 



In all the desmognathous palates the maxillo- palatine processes 

 remain free posteriorly. 



In the Oathartfe we have a palate of quite peculiar type 

 (PI. XXXI. fig. 1). The maxillo- palatines, as in Elanus, ai'e 

 relatively small. But whilst, in ElamijS, it will be remembered, 

 they were of a spongy textui'e, in Cathartte they ai'e represented 

 by a shell-like lamina with its concavity downwards. The external 

 lateral border of this lamina is anchylosed with the nasal. The 

 antrum is represented by a small cavity at the extreme anterior 

 extremity of the plate. These shell-like lamina3 fail to meet in the 

 middle line ; nevertheless the palate must be regarded as of the 

 indirect desmognathous type on account of the fact that the nasal 

 septum expands venti-ally into a hoiizontal plate, fusing on either 

 side with a pair of strap-shaped laminpe arising from the inner 

 dorsal border of the maxillo-palatine processes ( = the anterior 

 septo- maxillary spur, Parker). Distad of the maxillo-palatines and 

 nasal septum is a iai-ge anteiior palatal vacuity roofed only by the 

 nasal pi'ocesses of the pi-emaxilla. This region of the jaw I'ecalLs 

 that of the Tubinai-es. But the palate of the Tubinai-es difieis 

 in the absence of an ossified nasal septum and the gi'eat size of 

 the vomer. 



The jugal is wanting fi'om the quadrato-jugal ai'ch in the 

 Falcons. It is certainly present in Accipiter, and pei-haps in other 

 Accipitres. 



In some examples of Hierofalco the quadrato-jugal bar is 

 connected with the maxilla by a distinct joint. The maxilla con- 

 tiibutes towards this ai-ticulation a backwaixUy directed, columnar 

 bony process, which immediately ovei'hangs the exti-eme posterior 

 angle of the tomium. Seen fi'om below, the ai'ticulation is 

 transvei'se in foim. From above, it is concealed by a spike of 

 bone fi'om the quadi'ato- jugal, which projects forwai'ds into the 

 mouth of the anti-um. The spoi-adic foi-mation of a joint in this 

 position seems to me a point of some considerable interest. 



The Vomer, Palatine, and Pterygoid. 



The vomer in the Accipitres is never a veiy lai-ge bone. It is 

 blade-shaped when completely developed, and sometimes is slightly 

 bifurcated at its extreme posterior end- — seen fi'om the ventral 

 surface. Its base is received between the anterior boixlei's of the 

 dorsal laminfe of the posterior expanded end of the palatine : 

 sometimes fusing thei'ewith, e. g. Ser2:)entarius. In the Falcons 

 the vomer terminates in a bilobate expansion which I'ests upon 

 the fused maxillo-palatine pi'ocesses, between their free posteiior 

 projections. In Polyhorxis and Milvago this expansion is barely 

 perceptible. In Milvus (e. g. M. ater), Haliasiicr, Pernis, and 

 Buteo (e. g. B. jakal) the vomer is long and slender, and anchy- 

 loses with the maxillo-palatines. In Aquilince the vomer extends 

 far forwards between the maxillo-palatines, but remains perfectly 

 distinct thei'efrom. 



