BlTCEREME.] 



OSTEOLOGIA AVIUM. 



[BuCERINiB. 



cranium. Palatine bones long, narrow, their posterior points turned inwards. Inter- 

 articular bones flattened horizontally ; sphenoid as in Alcedo. 



Sternum constricted just behind the junction of the ribs, with the posterior edge in- 

 dented by one very wide fissure on each side of the keel, and with a slight indentation 

 on the margin of the central portion not occupied by the fissures ; keel very deep, 

 rounded on its inferior edge. Manubrial process large, broad, flattened perpendicularly, 

 the inferior edge sloping slightly upwards. Furculum very light and narrow ; the rami 

 flattened laterally for their upper two-thirds, and in the opposite direction for their 

 lower third ; they meet each other with a very wide curve, giving a rounded appear- 

 ance to the lower portion of the furculum. Coracoids of moderate size and length, 

 having a process on their internal edges, just above their junction with the sternum, 

 for the attachment of a ligament, the opposite extremity of which is attached to the 

 lower portion of the manubrial process. [The ligament is possessed by all birds, but I 

 am at present unable to find out any name for it ; its action is to hold the coracoid 

 bones in their places.] 



Pelvis very similar to that of Alcedo, but with the obturator foramina very large. 



Metatarsus with a deep channel down the centre anteriorly; the calcaneal process very 

 large ; the ulna very long in proportion to the humerus. 



Measurements. 



Tenths. 



Length of humerus 12 



Length of ulna 18 



Length of metacarpus .... 8 



Length of femur 9 



Length of tibia 14 



Length of metatarsus 

 Length of sternum 



14 



Tenths. 



Breadth of posterior margin of sternum 9 

 Breadth of anterior margin of sternum 7 



Depth of keel 5| 



Length of head .25 



Breadth of head 7 



Length of pelvis 12 



Breadth of pelvis 8 



Illustration. 

 Sternum, Plate VIII. fig. 11. 



Suhfam. 3. Bucerin^c. 



Buceros, Linn. 



Plicatus, Lath. 

 Type of Buceridse and Bucerinse. 



The anterior portions of the cranium as far as the nostrils among the Bucerinw take 



a great variety of forms, which constitute some of the principal characters by which the 



different species are distinguished. The curious excrescences on the bills are filled up 



with cellular bony matter. The vertex of the cranium is on nearly the same plane with 



60 



