GALLINU LOWES WYOMINGENSIS EASTMAN 631 



end but moderately expanded, and the head of the bone of a corre- 

 sponding degree of development. 



The inferior or lateral external process is practically very small 

 and this is likewise the case with the "praecoracoidal process" at 

 its superior extremity. With respect to the latter, Dr. Hans Gadow 

 has remarked that this is "but very small or absent in Apteryx, 

 Tinamous, Steganopodes, Gallinae and PasseresJ'^ In its general 

 character, this coracoid agrees closely with that bone as found in 

 the extinct fossil species of Palaeortyx and Palaeoperdix, as de- 

 scribed by Milne-Edwards, Lydekker, Gervais, Deperet, and 

 others.^ 



A scapula is a long, slender, and narrow bone, but slightly 

 curved, and with a small, nib-like expansion at the distal end, which 

 is broken oflf in the specimen, leaving only its impression in the 

 matrix. In short, the pectoral arch in Gallinuloides wyomingensis 

 is quite typically gallinaceous, and essentially agrees with the pec- 

 toral arch in the skeletons of existing species and genera of North 

 American Tetraonidae, especially with that part of the skeleton 

 in Bonasa. 



Skeleton of the limbs. — The long bones of the extremities exhibit 

 in a few instances some flattening and slight distortion as the result 

 of pressure. This has not, however, altered or concealed their 

 various characters, but may be clearly made out in most instances. 

 This is particularly the case with the skeleton of the pelvic limbs, 

 which agree, in all respects, with the corresponding bones in the 

 skeleton of an average grouse. When I say this, I refer especially 

 to the tibio-tarsi and metatarsi, which are quite typical. It also 

 had a grouse's wing, in so far as its skeleton goes, as may be easily 

 proved, not only by such characters as have been preserved, but 

 by the relative proportional lengths of the bones of the brachium, 

 antibrachium, and manus. These relative proportional lengths are 

 of some considerable value in making such comparisons, as, within 



I A Dictionary of Birds, by Alfred Newton, assisted by Hans Gadow, with contri- 

 butions from Richard Lydekker, Charles S. Roy, and Robert W. Shufeldt, p. 857 (foot- 

 note) . 



^ Compare with the coracoid of Palaeortyx maxima of Lydekker in P.Z.S. (1893), 

 p. 520, PI. XII, Fig. 11; see also my figures of the coracoid and the os furculum of 

 Tympanuchus in Hayden's 12th Ann. Geol. Surv. of the Terr., p. 716, PL XII, Figs. 

 86 and 87. 



