90 The Philippine Journal of Science 1919 
On the side of the cranium the crotaphyte fossa is well defined 
(Plate II, fig, 10), which is not the case in Fulica. 
Both species have a pronounced postfrontal process, which 
points directly downward in either species; while in Fulica the 
squamosal process is spiculiform. In the Philippine gallinule 
it is broad and transversely flattened, constituting a conspicuous 
character of the side of the skull. 
These birds have the osseous meatus of the ear very open, 
which admits, in the dried skull, of a complete view of the 
interior parts, the nature of the articulation of the head of the 
quadrate, the Eustachian passage, and other characters. This 
is also true of the coot; but in that bird the posterior wail of 
the osseous meatus is not nearly as much thickened, either 
relatively or actually, as it is in the big gallinule of the Philip- 
pines. Posteriorly, in either species, the supra-occipital prom- 
inence is conspicuously developed, and is not pierced by twin 
foramina as it is in many birds. A well-defined occipital ridge 
is present and very distinctly marked as a bounding line to 
this region. Above, on either side, the bounding line of the 
crotaphyte fossa runs into it; the points where the two lines 
meet it are 13 millimeters apart. 
The external surface of the cranial vault is flatter than it 
is in the coot and presents a pair of parietal eminences placed 
side by side. Beyond this the frontal region, superiorly, is 
sm-ooth and convex from before backward, merging gradually 
with the nasal on either side, but terminating abruptly and 
mesially in a transverse line over the premaxillaries ; the latter 
are thoroughly united, with all sutural traces absorbed. 
A quadrate has a large, inturned, blunt orbital process, with 
an extensive articulation for the mandible, it being triangular 
in form, with an articular, convex facet at each angle. 
A pterygoid is short and not much twisted upon itself; it is 
broadened anteriorly, and the two bones meet in the median 
line, when normally articulated as they are in life. 
The palatines are very intimately in contact in the median 
line, below the rostrum of the sphenoid, as far forward as the 
union with the bifurcation of the vomer, which latter fuses 
with them. The hinder part of either palatine below has an 
inner and an outer crest running forward and parallel with 
each other. Above, the broad orbital surface, however, is smooth 
and flat. Beyond this either bone mounds up in a peculiar way 
to meet the lower part of the ethmoidal wing and lacrymal 
bone of the same side. Still more anteriorly a palatine fuses 
with the maxillopalatine ; the latter is separated from the fellow 
