Rallidje.] osteologia avium. [Gallinulinje. 



Gallinula, Briss. 



Chloropus, Linn. 



Cranium. Occipital crest and protuberance well marked; orbital septum with one 

 large foramen. Palatine bones broadest at their hinder extremities, and gradually 

 sloped to their junction with the interarticular, gradually -narrowed forward, both 

 edges bent downward for more than half their length ; interarticular bones broadest at 

 their junction with the palatine, and narrowed backward ; lower maxillary bone trun- 

 cate at the hinder end, with a slight tubercle below the condyles. 



Sternum narrow, with a very deep fissure extending nearly to the ribs on each side 

 of the keel, slightly constricted opposite to the last rib ; keel arched below, rather 

 shallow, scolloped out in front, with a small manubrial process. 



Furcuhwi weak, a small process on the inside, opposite the junction of the rami. 



Scapula long, narrow, pointed at the hinder extremity. 



Pelvis similar to Rallus. 



Wing-bones with the humerus longer than the ulna. 



Leg-bones. Metatarsus without any groove down the front or back; calx small. 



Bibs with a very long styliform process. 



Measurements. 



Tenths. 



Length of humerus 20 



Length of ulna 18 



Length of metacarpus 4 



Length of femur 20 



Length of tibia 32 



Length of metatarsus 19 



Length of sternum 21 



Tenths. 



Breadth of posterior margin of sternum 8 

 Breadth of anterior margin of sternum 9 



Depth of keel . . 6 



Length of head . 22 



Breadth of head 7 



Length of pelvis 22 J 



Breadth of pelvis -8 J 



Porphyrio, Briss. 



Veterum, Gmel. 



The whole skeleton very similar to Gallinula, but larger, the fissures at hinder edge 

 of the sternum not so deep, the point of the keel receding very much, the manubrial 

 process longer. 



Ribs like Gallinula, with the styliform processes very long. 



I have also the skeleton of P. Madagascariensis, which is similar. 



Fulic^, Linn. 



Atra, Linn, 



Very similar to Porphyrio, but the fissures on the sternum are much deeper ; in that 

 respect resembling Gallinula. 



2 l 201 



