MENURIDiE.] OSTEOLOGIA AVIUM. [MjSNURINJE. 



Order VII. INSESSORES. 



Fam. 1. MENURID-ffi. 



Subfam. 1. Menurin^e. 



Menura, Dav. 



Superba, Dav. 

 Type 



Cranium rather small in proportion to the size of the bird ; much rounded at the 

 occiput, and flattened between the orbits ; a slight transverse depression at the base of 

 the nasal bones ; occipital crest not very prominent. Nostrils oval. Lacrymal bones 

 wanting. Orbits very large, their edges recurved. Orbital septum perforated by a 

 large, somewhat oval, foramen. Malar bones nearly straight. Palatine bones long, 

 consisting of a strip of bone gradually widening externally to about two-thirds of their 

 length, then suddenly narrowed, forming, as it were, two lateral projecting phalanges, 

 the posterior portions much narrowed, and united at their extremities to the inter- 

 articular bones, which are also very small and straight. 



Sternum elongated, much constricted near the centre ; the anterior part of the hori- 

 zontal plane concave for a little more than its anterior half, the hinder portion 

 convex; a prominent ridge of bone, to the edge of which the pectoralis minor is 

 attached, extends along each side of the sternum from the base of the coracoids to the 

 anterior edge of the convex portion of the sternum ; posterior margin projecting, much 

 rounded, and having two large open and shallow fissures on each side. Manubrial 

 process very large, triangular, and expanded anteriorly; keel, with its lower edge 

 slightly arched, continued to the posterior margin of the sternum, anterior point 

 curved backwards ; the anterior processes behind coracoids much lengthened. 



Pelvis of moderate size ; iliac bones anteriorly to the femora much curved outwards, 

 and not united along the dorsal line ; a ridge extends from this point, a strongly 

 marked ridge diverges outwards along the outer edge of the upper plane of the pelvis, forms 

 a strongly marked projection just behind the acetabula, and is continued backwards, 

 projecting over the ischium, and forming two elongated spinous projections on each side 

 of the caudal vertebrae. Ischium nearly perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the 

 ilium, which projects very far over it. Ischiadic foramen very large, slightly oval. 

 Os pubis gradually curved upwards towards the point, and forming with the ischium a 

 divided obturator foramen, the anterior portion rounded, the posterior oval. 



vol. i. p 97 



