Vol. 5] 



Miller. — Teratornis. 



315 



than is the ease in Cathartes or in Gymnogyps. On the whole 

 these form a group of minor distinctions. 



Table of Measurements. 



Sternum 



Length from manubrial notch 140 mm. 



Width across hyosternal processes 177 



Width of manubrium between coracoidal facets 17 



Coraeoid 



Extreme length 162 



Greatest width of sternal end 75 



Least right and left diameter of shaft 17 



Distance from subclavicular process to extremity of head 53 



Distance from subclavicular process to axial point of sternal end.- Ml 

 Furcula 



Middle of symphyseal notch to extreme distal curvature 149 



Smallest dorsi-ventral diameter of shaft 10.5 



Smallest anteroposterior diameter of shaft 15 



Extreme distance between shoulder points with coracoids in place.. 230 



AFFINITIES. 



From the characters of the skull alone it heeomes difficult 

 to place Teratornis in the present scheme of classification. The 

 generally accepted subdivision of the group Raptores includes 

 three families — namely, Falconidae, Cathartidae, and Serpen- 

 tariidae. The last-named family is represented by the single 

 genus Serpentarius. Teratornis, if it be considered raptorial, 

 displays characters more or less distinctive of each of these 

 groups, though a preponderance of cathartid affinities is evi- 

 dent. At least one of these, the possession of basipterygoid 

 processes, is shared by Serpent arms. The fusion of the lach- 

 rymals with the frontals and eetethmoids is strictly cathartid, 

 as is the free communication of the nostrils with the mouth and 

 the beak cavities. The very slight depression of the nasal re- 

 gion, the relative shortness of the descending process of the 

 lachrymals, the smooth contours of the skull dome, the enlarged 

 processes of the basisphenoid, are all cathartid characters. 

 With these features must be reconciled the high, com- 

 pressed beak, probably strongly hooked, and certainly not exca- 

 vated on the buccal side at the tip. the almost straight tomial 

 edge, the high and probably short nostril, the large lachrymals. 



