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Show 1902.] OSTEOLOGY OF THE FALCONIFORMES. 301 we have already shown. With the exception of Serpentarius, the furcula never articulates with the carina in Falconiformes. In the Striges, on the contrary, the furcula is always attached to the carina. Furthermore it is a much more slender bone than in the Falconiformes, and not bent upon itself. vi. THE PELVIC CIRDLE. The pelvic girdle of the Falconiformes, through the more aberrant members of the group, bears resemblances on the one hand to that of the Gruidse, and on the other to that of the Ciconiidse ; and, through the more specialized forms, to the Striges. The innominates are never- free. Serpentarius presents several Gruine characters, the most noticeable of which are the pocket-like cavities (iliac recesses) of the postacetabular ilium, and the general contour of the dorsal aspect of the pelvis as a whole. The pelvis of Serpentarius is, however, distinguishable from the similar Gruine and Ciconiine pelves by the great height of the supra-trochanteric process, and the enormous size of the ilio-ischiadic foramen. Further-more, the ischium terminates posteriorly in a rounded or rather conical border projecting beyond the postacetabular ilium ; whilst the pubis, which is long and slender, sends up a conical process immediately below the projecting extremity of the ischium, which serves more or less effectually to close the obturator fissure posteriorly. The preacetabular ilia meet one another in the mid-dorsal line, and there is no trace of the suture between the postacetabular ilium and the transverse processes of the synsacrum. The synsacral fossse lying between the neural spines and the postacetabular ilium are roofed over by a thin yjlate of bone. The obturator fissure is not separated from the foramen. The pectineal process is wanting, not only in Serpentarius but in all the pelves herein described. In the Cathartse the pelvic girdle is, externally, distinctly Ciconiine in character. The resemblances are especially noticeable in the pelves of Pseudogryphus (text-fig. 35, p. 302), Catharistes (text-fig. 36, p. 303), and Gypagus. The presence of iliac pockets, however, at once distinguishes these pelves from those of the Ciconise. Another Stork-like feature is the deep notch in the hinder border of the innominate, marking the division between the now-fused ilium and ischium. In Sarcorhamphus, Pseudogryphus (text-fig. 35, p. 302), and Gypagus the inferior limb of this notch is produced backwards for a very considerable distance beyond the postacetabular ilium to form a long spine. In the degree of development, and in the position of the supra-trochanteric process, the innominate of the Cathartse is Gruine. The pelvis of Cathartes differs markedly from that of the other genera in this: That whilst in the genera just discussed the |
