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Show 836 ON T H E STRUCTURE OF T H E PALATE IN TROGONS. [Nov. 15, Dimensions. millim. Longueur totale 523 „ de la tete 53 „ du corps 260 „ de la queue avec le poil 224 „ ,, ,, sans poil 190 „ du tarse jusqu'au bout des ongles 54 Cet exemplaire possede moins de fausses molaires que les autres especes de la section des putois, c'est-a-dire une dans la machoire superieure et deux dans Finferieure ; il est cependant possible qu'il les a pu perdre dans son age avance, car il presente des intervalles libres pour placer ces dents anterieures. En general ses dents sont plus fortes que celles de la M. macroura. Cette belette a ete prise dans la foret, et il parait que Fespece est exclusivement forestiere, car elle est inconnue aux habitants de la ville. Toutes les especes peruviennes connues precedemment, provenaient des regions elevees a 8000 jusqu'a 11,000 pieds d'altitude, tandis que celle-ci a ete trouvee dans la grande plaine de Maynas, elevee a peine a 500 pieds au dessus du niveau de la mer. Les premieres habitent les contrees non boisees, tandis que celle-ci habite la foret humide. 3. Note on the Structure of the Palate in the Trogons (Trogonida?). By W . A. F O R B E S , B.A._,Prosector to the Society. [Eeceived September 23, 1881.] It is m y desire in the present communication to correct an error which, though it has been before the ornithological world some years, has hitherto apparently escaped attention-the more so, as it has some bearing upon the general question of the classification of birds. The only description of the palate of the Trogons I have met with is that contained in Prof. Huxley's celebrated paper on the Classification of Birds in this Society's ' Proceedings' for 1867. It runs as follows1:-"The only Trogon skull I have had the opportunity of examining is that of T. reinwardti. It possesses basipterygoid processes, in which respect it resembles Caprimulgus, and is unlike all the other genera which remain to be mentioned. The palatines have a general resemblance to those of the Musophagidae; the vomer seems to be equally rudimentary ; and the maxillo-palatines, though less spongy, unite in the middle line." The Trogonidae are therefore included in Prof. Huxley's Desmognathous series. Recent examination of the skulls of several species of Neotropical Trogons (including Trogones puella, mexicanus, atricollis, and cali-gatus, and Pharomacrus mocinno), for the opportunity of which I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Salvin, as well as of one of Harpactes reinwardti (the species described by Prof. Huxley) from the Eyton J L. c. p. 444. |