OSTEOLOGY OF BIRDS 



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rates, pterygoids, and palatines seem to be more heavily fashioned. 

 G . b a n k i v a has an extremely delicate pair of maxillopalatines,. 

 preformed in osseous tissue, and separated by a considerable in- 

 terval in the middle space. 



Either palatine is noted for the slender " maxillary process " 

 which it sends forward to its usual articulation with the bony struc- 

 tures beneath the superior osseous mandible ; and those processes 

 are well separated mesially, as are the inner margins of the internal 

 lamina of the palatines along the nether surface of the rostrum 

 of the sphenoid [fig. 4]. 



Posteriorly, the " pterygoidal process " of a palatine, turns out- 

 ward and articulates in a socket, designed for its reception, in the 

 head of a corresponding pterygoid. As in all true gallinaceous 

 species this Jungle fowl has the posterior external angles of the 

 palatines most completely rounded away. 



A vomer of the most delicate construction possible, is found to 

 be freely supported upon the tips of the forward projecting " as- 

 cending processes " of the palatines, where they nearly meet be- 

 neath the apex of the sphenoidal rostrum. This diminutive vomer 

 is forked behind, and as sharp as a needle in front ; and I find it 

 better developed in the skull of the male than in the skull of the 

 female, whereas I have yet to find such a bone in either our do- 

 mestic or wild turkey. And, further, I am almost compelled to 

 'believe that it is just possible that this minute element of the basal 

 structures of the skull does not invariably ossify in all specimens of 

 domestic fowls ; at any rate it may not do so until they are well 

 advanced in years. Often I have examined chickens of several sum- 

 mers' growth wherein it yet appeared to be in membrane. Huxley 

 found one of no inconsiderable dimensions in the skull of the com- 

 mon fowl, of which he presents us with the figure ; 1 and the same 

 in truth may be said of the admirable illustration given us by 

 Parker, 2 also of a common domestic chicken. 



Both quadrates and pterygoids in G. b a 11 k i v a are apparently 

 pneumatic bones, the former possessing the usual pattern as seen 

 generally in the Gallinae. with two mandibular and two mastoidal 

 articular facets : with a blunt-pointed, orbital process which is some- 

 what abruptly bent backward near its middle, well below which 



1 Huxley, T. H. The Anatomy of Vertebrated Animals. New York 1872. p. 242, 

 fig. 82. 



'Parker, W. K. Birds. Encyc. Brit., ed. 9. 3: 710, fig. 21, v. 



