Melagridje.] 



OSTEOLOGIA AVIUM. 



[Melagrin^e, 



Furculum lying almost flat against the coracoids ; very thin and light process at the 

 junction of the rami transverse, and closely attached to the sternum. 



Pelvis with a large oval ischiadic foramen ; obturator foramen very well defined, 

 with a small rounded one anterior to it. Vertebrae of the hinder portion of the pelvis 

 not so distinctly marked on the upper surface as in Craos ;. process before the acetabulum 

 well developed. 



Leg-bones. Metatarsus with a strong calcineal process, armed with a spur ; supple- 

 mental metatarsus not nearly so much twisted on its axis as among other gallinaceous 

 birds. 



Ribs flattened ; styliform process broad. Scapula very broad for its whole length, 

 and blunt at the hinder extremity. 



The above observations were taken from a domesticated specimen, so that probably 

 no measurements would be correct for a wild one. 



Numbering of the Vertebrce and Ribs in Rasores. 





Cervical. 



Dorsal. 



Sacral. 



Caudal. 



True ribs. 



False ribs* 



Pterocles arenarius . 



13 



6 



12 



6 



5 



1 



Pterocles qiiiadricinctus . 





13 



7 



13 



6 



6 



2 



Tetrao urogallus 





14 



7 



18 



6 



6 



2 



Tetrao scoticus. 







14 



6 



13 



6 



6 



2 



saliceti . 







14 



6 



13 



6 



5 



2 



tetrix 







13 



6 



16 



6 



5 



2 



islandorum 







12 



6 



15 



6 



6 



2 



Bonasa sylvestris 







14 



6 



14 



6 



5 



2 



Perdix cinereus 







12 



6 



13 



6 



5 



2 



Francolinus capensis 





15 



7 



14 



6 



5 



2 



Callipepla Californica 





12 



6 



13 



6 



6 



2 



Pavo muticus . 





13 



6 



13 



5 



5 



3 



Phasianus colchicus . 





12 



6 



13 



6 



6 



i 1 



Phasianus Nycthemerus 





14 



5 



13 



5 



5 



3 



Thaumelia picta 





13 



7 



15 



5 



5 



3 



Megapodius 





13 



8 



14 



5 



6 



2 



Ortalida Montagui . 





14 



7 



14 



6 



4 



2 



Argus giganteus 





12 



8 



12 



5 



5 



2 



Crax globicera . 





15 



7 



17 



5 



5 



2 



Remarks. 

 The Phasianidce, and, indeed, most of the order, have a process projecting from the 

 ilium in front of the acetabulum, which I am not aware to have been previously 

 observed; many of the cuckoos have a similar process. The Perdicince have this 

 process very small ;, and in very young birds I suspect it is not anchylosed to the 

 ilium. The Tetraonidm may be distinguished from the Phasianidce by having a much 

 broader pelvis ; the Phasianidce have the fissures at the hinder margin of the 

 sternum much deeper than among the Cracida ; and the latter may be distinguished 

 from the Melagridw by the position of the furculum. 

 172 



