8 Osteology of Porzana Carolina. 
cervicals inclusive, after which a thin, quadrate ventral 
spine again takes its place, to appear for the last time on 
the first dorsal vertebra. 
In mid-cervical region the parapophyses are quite long 
and slender, but they gradually diminish in length as we 
pass down the series. The postzygapophyses experience a 
similar change in the same vertebre, while the prezyga- 
pophyses are never very long or prominent anywhere in 
the column. 
Heteroccelous articulation of the centra is the variety 
found in the Rallide generally, as it is here. 
The dorsal vertebrze have lofty neural spines which in- 
terlock with each other at the anterior and posterior angles 
of their crests above. The centra are broad below, having 
much the form in each case of the ordinary dice-box, while 
the diapophyses at their sidés are short and not interlaced, 
either by ossified tendons, nor projecting metapophyses, 
although these latter are present. Pneumaticity seems to 
be but partially carried out in any of 
the vertebree of this Crake. 
Turning to the caudal vertebre, we 
are struck with their high neural spines, 
which are much compressed laterally, 
and their short transverse processes, 
these latter being bent downwards to a 
considerable degree. The pygostyle is 
of a quadrilateral figure, with rather a 
thickened apex, and its size is not 
above that of one of the vertebrae 
themselves, either in height or depth. 
Porzana has a pelvis of an unusually 
interesting form, as I have already had 
occasion to refer to elsewhere. 
Regarding this bone first upon its 
dorsal aspect, it is to be noted (Fig. 4) 
that the anterior extremities of the ilia Wierd: Dora eseee 
are truncated, and this in such a way of pelvis of Porzana 
that acute externo-lateral angles are ee ae 
created. Posterior to this each ilium, as far back as the 
