Falconid^e.] 



OSTEOLOGIA AVIUM. 



[Falconing. 



Furculum very strong, much arched forwards, the rami flattened laterally and broad, 

 with only a very slight tubercle at its ligamentous junction with the sternum. 



Coracoids of moderate length, very strong, much expanded at their articulation with 

 the sternum, much hollowed out on the inside below their junction with the scapula, 

 and with a strong osseous strap confining the pectoral tendons. 



Scapula strong, very slightly deflected, rounded on its outward side for its anterior 

 half, becoming flattened and expanded towards the tip, which is sloped to a point from 

 each margin. 



Wing strong ; posterior metacarpal bone flattened, broadest at its proximal extremity, 

 not arched, but with a large space between it and the anterior metacarpal. 



Femur not much shorter than the tibia ; trochanters not very largely developed. 



Tibia rounded, with a slight ridge on its internal surface, and becoming slightly 

 triangular at its upper extremity. 



Metatarsus very strong and short, the division between the three bones forming it 

 marked by two intermediate foramina at their proximal extremity ; calcaneal process 

 highly developed, from which a strong keel is carried downwards on the back of the 

 mesometatarsal bone, gradually becoming obliterated at its distal extremity ; anterior 

 side much flattened and slightly excavated at its proximal end ; a well-marked knob on 

 the inner side, where the sheath confining the extensor muscles of the toes has its origin ; 

 central trochlea very prominent, the lateral ones bent backwards. 



Vertebral column very strong ; the lateral processes of the penultimate and next four 

 cervical vertebrae strongly developed ; the dorsal spine of the atlas long, and with a 

 transverse keel extending on each side from it to the lateral margins; the second 

 vertebra also with a slight dorsal spine ; from the third to the ninth without any dorsal 

 spine ; the tenth and eleventh with a flattened dorsal spine pointing forwards. Terminal 

 caudal vertebrae very large, and highly developed perpendicularly. 



Measurements. 



Tenths. 



Length of humerus 28 



Ulna .32 



Metacarpus 19 



Femur 24 



Tibia 30 



Metatarsus 20 



Length of sternum ,25 



Tenths. 



Breadth of posterior margin of sternum 2 



Breadth of anterior margin of sternum 1 5 



Length of pelvis 27 



Greatest breadth 13 



Length of head 24 



Greatest breadth 13 



Illustrations. 



Skeleton of Falco peregrinus, Plate III. A. 

 Metatarsus, Plate II. A. fig. 3. 

 Palatine bones, Plate VI. A. fig. 5. 

 Pelvis, Plate V. A. fig. 4. 

 2 



Coracoids, scapula, and furculum, Plate VII. A. 



fig. 2. 

 Base of the cranium, Plate IV. fig. 3. 



