322 



DE. E. W. SHTJFELDt's MOEPHOLOGICAL 



paper.) Indeed, I can fully verify Forbes's statement that 

 the Trogons are not desmognathous birds, but very decidedly 

 schizognathous ; and, furthermore, I am inclined to believe tliat 

 there is a fair measure of truth in the words of this anatomist 

 when he stated " that the structure of tlie palate has not that 

 unique and peculiar significance that has been claimed for it in the 

 classification of birds." My eyes were opened to this fact more 

 thoronglily than ever when I came to find such a bird as Chor- 

 deiles completely desmognathous, while certain forms of Capri- 

 onulgus and 'Plialcenoptilus were segithognathous, as defined by 

 Professor Huxley in his well-known " Contribution to the 

 Classification of Birds " (P. Z. S. 1867, p. 468). 



Large hasipte7ygoid processes are developed both in T. onexicanus 

 and T. puella, which in eacb case are articulated with ample facets 

 upon the pterygoids themselves. 



The palatine heads of the pterygoids are widely separated in 

 the median line ; while, as I have already stated, the palatines 

 opposite their place of meeting them are in contact to their very 

 ends. The outer edge of a pterygoid is quite sharp, while this 

 bone is compressed from above downwards and articulates in the 

 most usual manner by a ball-and-socket joint with the corre- 

 sponding quadrate. 



A quadrate develops a long orbital process with dilated tip. 

 Its mandibular foot supports two facets upon it, which are sepa- 

 rated from each other by an intervening valley. There are also 

 two such facets upon the squamosal head of the quadrate. 

 Otherwise this element is notable for the unusually long apophysis 

 it offers laterally to meet and articulate with the posterior end 

 of the quadrato-jugal bar. 



The underside of the basisphenoidal rostrum is much thickened 

 and rounded for its entire length, thus aftordiug a broad sliding 

 surface for the articulation of the pterygo-palatine ends. Barely 

 an apology for a bony scale overhangs the entrances to the Eu- 

 stachian tubes, while immediately behind them the base of the 

 cranium is very broad between the aural apertures. The occipital 

 condyle is comparatively very small indeed, though the subcircular 

 foramen magnum is fully up to the average in point of size. Upon 

 either side of it, we find the usual group of foramina for the 

 passage of nerves and vessels (PI. XVIII. fig. 8). 



I have made no special examination of the interior of the 

 cranial casket in these birds, but we are to note the great delicacy 



