183 
present the nearest approximation to the 
extent of the paroccipital, to which the 
characteristic of the Aptornis. 
The nasal process of the premaxillary, 
expands, and in its turn begins to overlap t 
surface of the premaxillary, 
peculiar structure exhibited in fig. 4. The 
great breadth of the occipital region is due, is 
partly overlapped by the nasals, quickly 
he anterior ends of those bones. The upper 
at first flat or slightly concave, soon becomes convex, and 
gradually broader to the fore part of the external nostrils, where it bends down te each 
side to form their anterior boundary, and joins what may be termed the body of the 
premaxillary (22, fig. 1). From this part forwards the convexity begins to subside ; and 
the bone very gradually contracts as it extends forwards to terminate in a broad thie: 
cated or slightly rounded border. 
The palatal plate of the premaxillary extends one inch nine lines entire from the 
fractured end to the anterior border of the palatal nostril. A well-defined rouch 
alveolar border (ss, fig. 3) extends backwards on each side from the premaxillary ae 
the coalesced maxillaries (s’, 21), and terminates by a slightly expanded portion below 
the anterior boundary of the external nostril (indicated by the dotted line at 2, fig. 1). 
Skull of Palapteryx geranoides (?). 
The second almost entire cranium (Pl. XLV.) agrees in all the characteristics by 
which that of Dinornis differs from the cranium assumed to belong to Aptornis 
(Pl. XLIII.), viz. in the minor descent of the basioccipital (1,1”, fig. 4), the square 
platform of the basisphenoid (5, fig. 3), the higher position of the precondyloid holes 
(p, fig. 4) and their separation from the carotid holes (c), the minor development of the 
paroccipitals (4), the major development of the mastoids (8) and olfactory chambers 
(18, fig. 3), and especially in the large and single oblong depression (y, fig. 3) beneath 
the mastoid for the single superior condyle of the tympanic. But it shows the pala- 
pterygian slenderness of beak. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES. 
PLATE XLIII. Aprornis. 
Fig. 1. Side view of the cranium and upper of the downwardly developed basi- 
mandible of Aptornis otidiformis. occipital (1") and basiphenoid (5'), 
and the anchylosed stylohyal (38). 
Fig. 7. Inner surface of part of the cranium 
with the pedunculate condyle (1). 
8. Under view of the cranium of the Bus- 
tard (Odis tarda). 
9. Oblique view of the hinder part of the 
. Upper view of ditto. 
. Under view of ditto. 
4, Back view of ditto. 
. Front view of the cranium, showing the 
surface from which the beak had been 
broken off. 
6. An oblique view of the hinder part of same cranium. 
the cranium, showing the two ridges 
O23 
or 
