186 



DESCRIPTION OF THE BUCEROS 



distinct in this. It enters into the formation of the knee joint, and com- 

 pletes the outer border of the articular surface, part of the outer condyle 

 of the femur resting on it. 



The breadth of its articular surface is f of an inch. From this it is 

 continued down the outer edge of the tibia, but has no osseous connec- 

 tion with this bone, for 2| inches in its extent, here the two become 

 consolidated, and towards the termination of the bone, above the articula- 

 tion, a small speculum of bone arises from the tibia, which denotes the 

 termination of the fibula. 3rdly. One metatarsal bone (answers to the 

 tarsus) 2| inches in length. To this the toes are articulated. There is 

 also another which is attached to the metatarsal bone, by a broad 

 synchondrosis, and proceeds obliquely outwards, for the exclusive attach- 

 ment of the great toe. This bone has been observed in some birds of the 

 Parrot kind, and 1 can testify its existence in the foot of the King-fisher. 

 It is difficult to convey an adequate description of its shape. In the pre- 

 sent bird (Buceros) it is nearly an inch in length, and half an inch broad 

 at its articulation to the great toe. It has two prominences on its articular 

 surface, resembling condyles, the inner one being twice the size of the outer. 

 To meet these, there are corresponding concavities at the base of the first 

 phalanx of the great toe, by which a very perfect joint is formed. There 

 is a groove in the metatarsus in which the base of the small bone is lodg- 

 ed. 4th. The toes. The great toe has two phalanges. The one next to 

 this has three, the middle toe four, and the last has five. 



Memorandum concerning the anatomy of the tongue and vocal organs of the 



Homrdi Suceros. 



The tongue consists of a small fleshy substance of triangular form, 

 and measures about f of an inch in length, by ^ an inch in breadth. 



