. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and lower California, with which are incorporated General ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and Field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds. Birds; Birds; 1887. 186 GENERAL Fig. 83. — Mature stapes of fowl, about x 4; after Parker, s^, its foot, fitting fenestra ovalis; ms(, mainsliaft, or medio-stapedial e
. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and lower California, with which are incorporated General ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and Field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds. Birds; Birds; 1887. 186 GENERAL Fig. 83. — Mature stapes of fowl, about x 4; after Parker, s^, its foot, fitting fenestra ovalis; ms(, mainsliaft, or medio-stapedial ele- ment : sst, supra-sta- pedial; est, extra-sta- perlial ; iH, infra-sta- pedial, its end repre- senting a rudimentary stylo-hyal; /, a fenestra in the extra-stapedial. (See St in situ, fig. 71, and its embryonic for- mation, fig. 67.) several elements which have received special names. In skulls prepared with sufficient care, the stapes may he seen in situ, as in fig. 71, st, — an extremely delicate rod, stepped into the fenestra ovalis hy its foot, the other end protruding freely, and bearing in many cases its hammer-like or claw-like stapedial elements. A stapes I have just picked out of an eagle's ear is a fourth of an inch long, with a stout foot, hut a stem as fine as a thread of sewing silk, and at the tympanic end a still finer hair-like process half as long as the main stem, from which it stands out at a right angle. The ossification is perfect, and tliere appears to have heen another similar process which has broken off from the cross-Uke figure showm in fig. 71, st. In a raven's skull before me the stapes has fallen into the fenestra ovalis, and lies there with its head sticking out, though perfectly loose. I cannot withdraw it intact, as the expanded foot fits the hole too closely to pass through in any position I have succeeded in placing it. It appears to he about as large as the eagle's. Close examination at a point somewhere about the fe- nestra ovalis, or
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1887
