238 STRUCTURE AND CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS 



The goatsuckers have by no means a uniform skull 

 structure. 



In Caprimulgus ' the skull may be termed schizognathous. 

 The palatines are enormously expanded, and between their 

 posterior extremities (not indicated in the figure) are a small 

 anterior and posterior medio-palatine, a state of affairs recall- 

 ing the Picidee (q.v.) The vomer is a long bone, distinctly 

 paired in the young bird, rounded in front. It articulates 



Fig. 118. — Skull ob Caprimulgtis (afibb Huxley). 

 Pmx^ premaxilla ; Mxp, maxillo-palatine ; Vo, vomer ; PI, palatine ; Pt, pterygoid. 



v?ith the hook-like maxillo-palatines. Bach of the latter is 

 connected by a ligament with the internal forward process of 

 the palatine of its own side, the hinder part of which is 

 largely ossified. The basipterygoid processes are well de- 

 veloped. The lacrymal is large and ' binds upon the zygoma.' 

 The ectethmoids are attached to the broad outer flange of 

 the palatines by a cartilaginous prolongation. 



' Pakkek, ' On the Structure and Development of the Bird's Skull,' Lmn. 

 Tr. (2), i. 



