that connect the Orders and Families of Birds. 485 
a species that, as far as we can now conclude, is no longer to be 
found; while the link which it supplied in nature was of consi- 
derable importance. "The bird in question, from every account 
which we have of its economy, and from the appearance of its 
head and foot, is decidedly gallinaceous ; and, from the insuffi- 
ciency of its wings for the purposes of flight, it may with equal 
certainty be pronounced to be of the Séruthious structure, and 
= referable to the present family. But the foot has a strong hind 
toe, and, with the exception of its being more robust,—in which 
character it still adheres to the Struthionide,—it corresponds 
exactly with the foot of the Linnean genus Crax, that commences 
the succeeding family. The bird thus becomes osculant, and 
forms a strong point of junction between these two conterminous 
groups; which, though evidently approaching each other in 
general points of similitude, would not exhibit that intimate bond 
of connexion which we have seen to prevail almost uniformly 
throughout the neighbouring subdivisions of nature, were it not 
for the intervention of this important genus. — 
The family of Cracide, thus connected with the Struthionide, 
are separated from the typical groups of the order by the length 
and robustness of the hinder toe, and by its being situated more 
nearly on a level with those in front. These birds, placed in this 
manner at the extreme of the present order, assume more of the 
habits and appearance of the preceding order of Perchers than 
the other Rasores, with the exception of the family of Columbide. 
They are found most frequently to make their abode in trees, 
and to resort to the neighbourhood of forests : in the lesser num- 
ber of their tail-feathers they evince an equal deviation from 
their more typical congeners, and they never possess a spur. 
This family contains the Ourav of M. Cuvier, and the true 
Crax, Linn., together with the Penelope and Ortalida of M. Mer- 
rem. The two latter genera have their hind toe articulated on a 
3R2 level 
