Alaudidje.] osteologia avium. [Alaudinje. 



arcuated nostrils wide, oval ; orbital septa, imperforate, but slightly broken into on its 

 posterior edge by the foramen admitting the optic nerves. Palatine bones, with their 

 outer edges only, bend downwards, truncate at two-thirds of their length, or at that 

 point from which a narrow strip of bone from their internal edges proceeds to the inter- 

 articular bones ; a double spine on the external edge of the outer angle, pointing 

 backwards. Interarticular bones slender, straight. 



Foramen magnum transversely oval ; occipital ridge and protuberance very slightly 

 marked. 



Sternum as broad anteriorly as posteriorly, very slightly constricted in the middle, 

 posterior to the junction with the ribs; anterior edge scolloped out, point retreating; 

 the hinder margin with a very large fissure on each side, which extends upwards to 

 nearly one-half the length of the sternum ; a bony rib bounds them externally, abruptly 

 expanded at the end, and is carried on forwards to the junction of the coracoids ; the 

 internal edges are also thickened and expanded towards the mouth of the 

 fissures in the same form as the external one, inclining very much inwards, thus 

 causing the central part of the sternum to be very narrow. Keel very deep anteriorly, 

 straight ; manubrial process long, bifid, turned upwards, triangular. 



Bibs weak ; styliform process long and narrow, extending over the rib behind it. 



Furculum with the rami nearly parallel to a little above their junction, where they 

 curve suddenly inwards, rounded at their junction with the sternum ; a flattened pro- 

 cess, pointed backwards, to the lower edge of which the ligament is attached which 

 unites the furculum and sternum. 



Coracoids of moderate length, somewhat triangular in the centre. 



Scapula very long, narrow, straight ; the tip deflected, and sloped off to a point from 

 above very obliquely. 



Wing-bones of moderate strength ; humerus not longer than the scapula ; ulna only 

 slightly longer than the humerus, very straight; metacarpal bones with very little 

 interval between them. 



Femur very slightly bent ; metatarsus with a very large calcar process. 



Pelvis broad between the acetabula, the points of the pubic bones projecting very 

 slightly beyond them; ischiadic foramen short, oval; obturator long; a swelling, 

 bulbous appearance on the lateral portions of the iliac bones posterior to the acetabula. 



Vertebral column with the penultimate and four following vertebrae furnished with 

 dorsal processes ; terminal caudal vertebrae, triangular. 



Tenths. 



Length of humerus 8| 



Length of ulna 11 



Length of metacarpus .... 5 

 110 



Measurements. 



Tenths. 



Length of femur 8 



Length of tibia 13 



Length of metatarsus 9 



