TINAMI 491 



upon the surface of the skull. The outer descending part of 

 the nasal reaches the maxilla, and with the upper part of the 

 bone encircles the holorhinal nasal foramen ; it is not 

 ankylosed with the lacrymal. The latter descends and 

 articulates with the jugal by a very distinct facet, especially 

 distinct in Bhynchotus rufescens. The bone also becomes 

 fused with the lateral wing-like process of the ethmoid, 

 forming a complete ring of bone round a relatively very 

 wide foramen. A special point of resemblance to Bhea and 

 Drommus is the perforation of the descending process of the 

 lacrymal itself. This is best seen in Bhynchotus rufescens ; 

 in Galodromas elegans, Nothura maculosa, and Grypturus 

 tataupa, there is merely a notch which in the fresh skull may 

 possibly be converted into a foramen by a ligament.' 



FuEBEiNGBE gives 16-18 as the number of cervical 

 vertehrcB. The cup of the atlas is perforated for the odontoid 

 process in Grypturus, Bhynchotus, and Nothura. As in 

 the gallinaceous birds, &c., some of the dorsal vertebrae are 

 fused together. In Tinamus solitarius this was the case with 

 the first three and to a less extent with the last cervical. In 

 Nothura maculosa five vertebrae were thus fused, and a 

 strongish longitudinal piece of bone, formed of ossified liga- 

 ment, connected their transverse processes. In Grypturus 

 tataupa there were four vertebrae fused and one in front 

 partially so. Four ribs reach the sternum in Tinamus 

 solitarius. The sternum of the tinamous is very remarkable 

 in form. The manubrium is slightly bifurcate ; the middle 

 portion of the sternum, which bears the keel, is exceedingly 

 narrow, and a wide space is left on each side between it 

 and the lateral processes, which are thin and as long as 

 the middle piece. The anterolateral processes are well 

 developed. 



The pelvis is so far on .the struthious pattern that the 



by a long piece growing from above downwards between the anterior ends 

 of the frontals.- No suture remains to tell me that ; but if it be so all is 

 perfectly struthious, for those birds differ in this from all others examined 

 by me.' 



' This, however, is not a unique feature of the birds in question. It. occurs, 

 for example, in Tantalus and Xenorhynchus. 



