S6 Mr. F. E. Beddard on the 
structure in which it differs from its allies. These features, 
on the whole, produce a further likeness between the skull of 
Aramus und that of the aberrant Crane Balearica. Thus the 
pterygoids, though expanded as in Grus at their articulation 
with the palatines in front, have no traces that I can discover 
of basipterygoid facets. In Grus these basipterygoid facets 
are not properly developed ; but, as in many other birds 
which possess rudiments of them, they are represented by a 
small process of bone of irregular form, and are not expanded 
into an articular surface for the reception of the pterygoid 
bones. In this peculiarity of the skull the genus Balearica 
agrees 'with. Aramus ; while in neither are there traces of 
the basipterygoid facets. One would assume therefore 
that the two genera which have just been mentioned ' are 
so far more specialized than the more typical Cranes. The 
shape of the maxillo-palatine plates is not the same in 
Aramus and in Grus : in Aramus these plates are of the 
nature of swollen bullge, and very thin-walled; in Grus each 
plate is a thin, shell-like, concave structure, the concavity 
being outwards; they are, moreover, much larger in Grus than 
in Aramus. It is perhaps importdut to note that Balearica, 
again, on the whole, agrees with Aramus. 
The remaining feature of difference between Aramus and 
Grus J which is noticeable on the ventral aspect of the skull, 
concerns the palatines : in Grus the ridge upon the ventral 
surface of these bones is deep, and is continued quite to 
the end of them, to where they articulate behind with the 
pterygoids ; in Aramus the ridge is, of course, present, but 
it stops considerably short of the pterygoid end of the pala- 
tines. In this feature it happens that Aramus does not 
approach Balearica. The last-mentioned genus has these 
bones formed as in Grus. 
When the skull of Aramus is viewed laterally, the nostrils 
are seen to be not so clearly cut anteriorly as are those of 
Grus, which end in a definite rounded margin. In Aramus 
a kind of curtain of bone descends from above which over- 
shadows and partly obliterates the anterior part of the orifice 
of the nostri), thus detracting from the defiuiteness of its 
