SKELETON OE PHOEOEHACOS INFLATES. 65 



struck with its Accipitrine aspect. This, of course, depends chiefly on the form of the 

 beak, but is heightened by similarity in several points of detail, e. g. the form of the 

 lachrymal and of the antorbital fossae. Closer examination shows, however, that the 

 structure of the palate is very different, particularly in the relations of the anterior 

 end of The palatines to the maxillo-palatine plates ; the form of the articulation 

 of the quadrate with the mandible is also widely different. Of the Accipitrine birds, 

 Serpentarius approaches the fossil most closely both in structure of the anterior region 

 of the palate and in the existence of an articulation between the pterygoids and the 

 basis cranii. In the Storks the palate is in several respects like that of the fossil, 

 particularly in the relations of the palatines to the maxillo-palatine plates ; the distal 

 articulation of the quadrate is also similarly constructed, but is relatively much wider 

 from before backward. On the other hand, the lachrymal bears neither a long 

 descending antorbital process nor a large supraorbital plate, and the antorbital fossa 

 is different. 



Although the Gruiformes are typically both schizognathous and schizorbinal, it is 

 remarkable that Cariama and Chunga, which in external appearance and habits so 

 much resemble Serpentarius, should have become both desmognathous and holorhinal, 

 like Accipitrine birds. The existence of these characters, therefore, in the skull of 

 Phororhacos cannot be regarded as a bar to the relationship between it and the 

 Gruiformes, suggested in a former paper and supported by many structural peculiarities 

 of the pelvis and hind limb. In fact, since the general line of specialization of Phoro- 

 rhacos is similar to that which produced the Cariamidse, the occurrence of these 

 characters might have been expected. In some points, indeed, e.g. in the form of the 

 quadrate, Phororhacos differs less from the typical Gruiformes than Cariama does. 



Further discussion of the affinities of this remarkable form is best deferred till after 

 the remainder of the skeleton, as far as we know, has been described. 

 The dimensions of the skull are: — 



cm. 



Length from anterior end of preinaxillae to paroccipital process. . . . 337 



,, ,, „ to centre of occipital condyle . 30 - 



Width at paroccipital processes 11 '4 



„ of cranium at temporal fossse 7 - 



„ at postorbital processes 12 - 



,, (least) between temporal fossae 2*5 



„ opposite posterior edge of nostril 3 - 3 



Depth of upper jaw at middle of nostril ll'o 



„ „ at its middle point J1'7 



Length of opening of nostril 4'0 



Width of upper jaw at middle 'point 3'8 



Height of foramen magnum L7 



Width of distal end of quadrate 3 - 8 



L2 



