Osteology of Porzana Carolina. . 
Of the remainder of the Awial Skeleton : -After care- 
fully counting the vertebra in the spinal column of Por- 
zana carolina, in a sufficient number of specimens, I find 
that this Rail possesses thirteen vertebree in the cervical 
region, wherein in the adult the pleurapophyses co-ossify 
with the lateral aspect of the centra. 
In the fourteenth and fifteenth vertebree free ribs are 
found, which are without epipleural appendages, and do not 
reach the sternum below. Then follow seven more (which 
includes the twenty-second), that may be considered as the 
true dorsals. These are all freely movable upon each other, 
and all haveribs, only the first five pairs of which, however, 
meet costal ribs below, the remaining two pairs having 
free heemapophyses at their lower ends. A pair of rudi- 
mentary ribs are also found freely attached to the first 
sacral vertebre. Only those ribs which articulate with 
true costal ribs have epipleural appendages, and these freely 
articulate with their posterior borders after the manner 
they do in all birds which do not have them anchylosed at 
these points. 
To form the pelvic sacrum twelve other vertebra are very 
thoroughly anchylosed together and fused with the ilia at 
their sides. Next follow seven movable segments and a 
pygostyle which constitute the skeleton of the tail of Por- 
Zana. 
Thus we see that the Carolina Crake has forty-one ver- 
tebree in its spinal column, exclusive of the terminal piece, 
that may be composed of perhaps three or four more. 
There is little to be said of the atlas, more than it has the 
usual ornithic form ; its neurapophyses are somewhat frail, 
and its articular cup is perforated at its base by the process 
of the second vertebra. 
This latter segment lacks the lateral canals, and devclors 
a large laminate hypapophyses, a feature likewise found 
upon the third, fourth and fifth vertebrae, where it is very 
small. A very meagre neural spine is usually found on 
the first three of these segments after we pass the atlas. 
The carotid canal is never closed over, it monopolizing 
the place of the ventral spines in the sixth to the tenth 
