94 The Philippine Journal of Science 1919 
the sacral crest, a little open slit being present as a consequence ; 
this is also the arrangement in Gallinula. In most respects, the 
postacetabular portion of the pelvis in this Gallinula agrees in 
its characters with the corresponding ones as we find them in 
Porphyrio. There are two striking characters, however, which 
agree, upon comparison, in Fulica and Gallinula and depart 
from the corresponding ones in Porphyrio; they are these: The 
posterior-inferior angle of the ischium in the coot and in the 
gallinule is drawn downward and outward as a conspicuous 
process; this angle is truncate in Porphyrio. Again, the distal 
free extremity of the postpubic rod in Fulica and in Gallinula 
is bent downward at an angle with the rest of this rod, the 
bending taking place at a point opposite the posterior-inferior 
angle of the ischium of the same side. Turning to the skeleton 
of Porphyrio, we note that this angle of the ischium on either 
side is truncated, and that the postpubic rod is not bent at any 
part of its length (Plate III, fig. 11). 
In all the species of this coot-gallinule group of birds there 
is a very remarkable character on the inferior side, or ventral 
aspect, of the hinder part of the pelvis; it consists of a deep, 
pocketlike recess, or concavity, apparently formed by the exten- 
sion, on either side, of the ischium. Mesiad, it thoroughly cods- 
sifies with the last three vertebrse of the pelvic sacrum, and 
its anterior free margin beneath is sharp and concave in outline. 
The completed osseous pockets thus formed are deep and capa- 
cious, occupying very nearly one-half of the postacetabular con- 
cavity of the pelvic basin. Each extends as far forward as the 
posterior margin of the rather large subcircular ischiadic fora- 
men on either side. 
There are seven small free caudal vertebrse in Porphyrio to 
eight in Fulica. In addition to these in each bird there is a more 
or less inconspicuous quadrilateral pygostyle. When duly artic- 
ulated, these vertebrse form an arc, which is concave along its 
superior line (Plate III, fig. 11). 
The shoulder girdle and sternum. — There is a great similarity 
in the characters with respect to all the bones of this part of 
the skeleton in the bird forms referred to in the present paper. 
In Porphyrio a scapula, in the articulated skeleton, reaches 
almost as far back as the pelvis; it is narrow, flat, pointed, 
and markedly curved, being convex along its inner border and 
correspondingly concave along its outer one. In Fulica this is 
much narrower, longer, and less curved and does not seem to 
articulate with the os furcula, whereas it does so, extensively, 
in Porphyrio. 
